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Goodness, Grace and Grip of God · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Good to be with you this evening, swimming up the road from back.
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Interesting weather events going on still, but we're here to worship the Lord and may He bless us as we seek Him together.
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We'll begin our service by singing to His praise from Sing Psalms in Psalm 93.
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Psalm 93 in Sing Psalms, singing this Psalm together from the beginning.
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The Lord is King, His throne endures majestic in His height.
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The Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength and might.
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The world is founded, firm and sure, removed it cannot be.
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Your throne is strong and you are God from all eternity.
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The 93rd Psalm will stand and sing together.
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The Lord is King, His throne endures majestic in His height.
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The Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength and might.
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The world is founded, firm and sure, removed it cannot be.
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Your throne is strong and you are God from all eternity.
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The Lord is strong and you are God from all eternity.
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The mighty noise.
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The Lord enthroned the highest strong,
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more powerful is He.
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And thunder all the ocean's waves
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are breakers of the sea.
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Your royal statues, large and firm,
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and changing is your word.
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And holiness adorns your hearts
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for endless days, O Lord.
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We'll bow in prayer together.
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Amen.
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The Lord reigns.
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We express our joy and dependence
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as we sing these words towards you,
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our loving Heavenly Father.
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We acknowledge your greatness.
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We bow before you,
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contemplating in our hearts and minds
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the glory, the grace of God,
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conscious of your holiness,
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conscious of your sovereignty,
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conscious of your rule.
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Lord, how else can we do but bow before you?
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And so we would, Lord,
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empty ourselves of any sense of self-sufficiency
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or self-grandizement or self-sufficiency.
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Lord, keep us.
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Keep us from that road where we would think
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it is our gifts, our strength,
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our wisdom, and our plans that matter most
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when it is all of grace.
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For we are saved by grace and through faith,
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and that not of ourselves.
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It is the gift of God,
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lest any man should boast.
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So, Lord, we know in the kingdom
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there is no room for boasting.
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There is no status,
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no rank,
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no standing,
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other than being a child of God
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through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ,
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your Son.
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And so we bless you, Lord,
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and praise you for that wonderful reality tonight,
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a reality,
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the light of which draws us here together this evening
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to extol the virtues of the living God,
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to sing praise toward you,
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conscious of who you are
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and what you have done for us
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in Christ, your Son.
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Conscious, Lord,
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of the forgiveness,
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full and free,
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that we find in him
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when we respond in that wonderful manner,
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crying out to Jesus,
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Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner.
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And we thank you, Lord,
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that in him we find that mercy,
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that cleansing and that renewal,
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for in him all things are made new.
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And in him we have the forgiveness of sin,
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redemption through his blood.
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We have newness of life.
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Lord, we thank you for this wonder,
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for this reality,
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for this comfort and this joy
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that in Christ alone
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our hope is found.
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So we pray tonight, Lord,
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as we worship together,
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you might do us good,
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that you might come in among us,
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that we might know the ministry of the Holy Spirit
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moving within us
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and between us,
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around us,
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illuminating within us
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an understanding of the gospel,
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illuminating within us once more
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something more
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of the wonder and beauty of Jesus,
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something more of his work,
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his standing in our place,
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his paying our price.
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Lord our God,
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we profess tonight that
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at times the scope of the gospel
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overwhelms us
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and we fail to grasp
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the grandeur,
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the wonder,
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and at the same time
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the simplicity.
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What joy there is
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in the way the apostle
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responded to the Philippian jailer,
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believe
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in the Lord Jesus Christ
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and you will be saved.
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Keep us, Lord,
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ever from doubting that message,
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from adding to that message,
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from taking from that message,
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from mixing that message up
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with who we are
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and how we do things,
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keep us, Lord,
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that ever in that place
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where we would be grateful
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for our traditions,
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but that we would keep
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the traditions in their place
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and that we would look unto Jesus,
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the author and finisher
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of our faith.
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So we pray, Lord,
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from the outset
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of this communion season
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for your blessing
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and hand to be upon
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the congregation,
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that you be near to each
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and every one of them, Lord,
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and that as Callum
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breaks down the word of life
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and the Gaelic
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and Murdo comes
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to preach Christ
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in the English services,
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that, Lord,
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you would bless them
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and through them
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be a blessing
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to the congregation,
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that your people, Lord,
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would know a real blessing
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from on high,
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that that gift
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that is within
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would be stirred up,
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for you have not given
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as a spirit of fear,
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but a spirit of power
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and of love
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and of discipline.
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And so we pray tonight, Lord,
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that you would,
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by word and sacrament
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in these days ahead,
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bless and strengthen
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and enliven
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and encourage your people
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to go into the week ahead,
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bright, shining witnesses
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to Christ,
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uncompromising
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and yet also merciful
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and patient
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and tenderhearted
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in sharing the gospel
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with those around us.
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We must,
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for we know
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we must always be ready
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to give a reason
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for the hope we have within.
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So may we, Lord,
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in days to come
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by your word and sacrament,
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know that particular blessing
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as we remember
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the Lord's death,
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as your people gather
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at his table,
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be near to them,
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feed their souls
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and nourish them,
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that they would rejoice
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in the reality
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of the ancient text
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that says,
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I have found
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the one
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in whom my soul loves.
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And so, Lord God,
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this evening we pray
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that you would bless
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your word to our hearts,
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that you would
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go before us
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in every way,
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not just at the communion season,
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this time of vacancy
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and change
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and decisions
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and choices,
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all these things,
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Lord,
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we commit to your care,
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we seek your grace,
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your patience,
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your wisdom,
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that the Holy Spirit
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would be our leader
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in these things
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and that we,
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in dependence upon him,
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would know you're leading
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and that we might,
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Lord,
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with devoted hearts,
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trust in you
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and walk with you.
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So watch over the congregation.
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Lord,
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be with those
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who cannot be here tonight,
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be with those
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in the congregation
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who are recovering
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from illness,
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who are in hospital.
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We pray for any,
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Lord,
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tonight who are
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uncertain,
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downcast,
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housebound,
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those,
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Lord,
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maybe in the district,
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in the town,
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who are suffering
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from loneliness.
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What a scourge
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that is in our day and age.
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And we pray for any,
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Lord,
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tonight known to us
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or connected with us
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in any way
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who are experiencing
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a sense of isolation
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and uncertainty,
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draw near to them,
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Lord.
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Bless them with your peace,
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your mercy,
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and may they be calm
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knowing that you are with them.
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We pray for your people
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who would minister to them,
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grant them a word in season
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to come alongside
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and share something
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of the hope of the gospel
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with those who tonight
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perhaps do not know Christ.
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And we pray for the lost.
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At our communion season,
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as we look to the cross,
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as we reflect
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on the death of our Saviour,
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we, Lord,
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pray especially
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for those who
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as yet do not know him,
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do not love him,
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are not living for him,
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are unconvinced
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and unconverted,
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who are far off,
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still in darkness,
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still alienated to God,
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strangers to the Commonwealth,
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and cut off
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from your promise
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of life
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and eternal fellowship.
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Lord,
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open hearts and eyes,
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we pray,
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by your word.
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May there be a season
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of reaping,
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and may there be joy
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in heaven,
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even tonight,
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over a sinner
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that would repent
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and come to Christ
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and looking to him
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for the salvation
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that he alone
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can bestow.
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So, Lord,
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we wait on you
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this evening.
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We ask you
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to accept our praise,
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that you would hear
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our prayers
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and draw near to each
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and every one
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in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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Now we'll turn
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to the Psalter
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this evening.
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We'll sing from
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Psalm 25,
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the first version,
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Psalm 25 in the Psalter,
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singing the first version
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from the beginning.
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We'll sing to verse 7.
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To thee I lift my soul,
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O Lord,
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I trust in thee.
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My God,
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let me not be ashamed
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nor foes triumph over me.
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Let none that wait
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and they be put to shame at all,
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but those that without cause
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transgress,
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let shame upon them fall.
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We'll sing to verse 7.
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To God's praise,
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we'll stand together.
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Amen.
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To thee I lift my soul,
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O Lord,
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I trust in thee.
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My God,
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let me not be ashamed,
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nor foes triumph for me.
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Let the man that waits on thee,
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be good to shame at all.
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But those that with thy cross,
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let shame upon them fall.
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Show me thy ways, O Lord,
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Thy path, O Jesus,
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Nor mercen consoles' fast on me.
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O'er, O which of thou shalt,
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Give thy truth,
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I bet my Lord have shown
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may not be ashamed,
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for thou mej contract,
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my life, O Lord have garnished my eyes,
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And do thou reap,
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For Thou art for the just, to Thee salvation sent.
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And I upon Thee all the day, expecting to attend.
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Thy tender mercies, Lord, I pray Thee to remember.
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And loving kindnesses, for They have been of hope forever.
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My sins and faults of You, do Thou, O Lord, forget.
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After Thy mercy, think on me, and for Thy goodness great.
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We'll read from the book of Psalms this evening in Psalm 86.
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Psalm 86, a psalm that has much to say to us, as the psalm as we've just sung,
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of the goodness and greatness and grace of God.
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Clearly it was a theme that thrilled David's heart,
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and we'll see that in this psalm also, entitled,
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Great is your steadfast love, a prayer of David.
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Psalm 86.
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Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.
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Preserve my life, for I am godly.
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Save your servant who trusts in you.
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You are my God.
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Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day.
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Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
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For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.
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Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer.
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Listen to my plea for grace.
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In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me.
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There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours.
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All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.
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For you are great and do wondrous things.
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You alone are God.
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Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.
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Unite my heart to fear your name.
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I give thanks to you, O Lord, my God, with my whole heart,
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and I will glorify your name forever.
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For great is your steadfast love towards me.
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You have delivered my soul from the depths of Shoal.
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O God, insolent men have risen up against me.
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A band of ruthless men seek my life, and they do not set you before them.
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But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
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slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
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Turn to me and be gracious to me.
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Give your strength to your servant and save the son of your maidservant.
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Show me a sign of your favour that those who hate me may see and be put to shame
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because you, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
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Amen.
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May the Lord bless to our hearts the reading of his own word.
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We'll turn back to this psalm again in a moment,
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but we'll turn first of all to sing psalms.
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We'll sing once more from Psalm 17.
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Singing from the beginning and sing psalms.
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Psalm 17.
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And we'll sing from the beginning to verse 5.
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Lord, hear my righteous plea and listen to my cry.
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It does not rise deceitfully or come from lips that lie.
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Declare me innocent and vindicate my name.
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Lord, may your eyes see what is right and free me from all blame.
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We'll sing to verse 5 and we'll stand together.
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Lord, hear my righteous plea and listen to my cry.
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Lord, hear my righteous plea and listen to my cry.
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Lord, may your eyes see what is right and leave me from all blame.
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Though you examine me and grow my heart and mind,
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And though you test me in the night,
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Yet nothing you will find.
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I said I will not say
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In anything I say
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From those who practice violence,
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I have yet far away.
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From every evil power,
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By your word I deserve,
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My feet have held to all your ways,
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From them I have not swelled.
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Now if we turn together in our Bibles to the Old Testament in the book of Psalms in Psalm 86,
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Psalm that we read together that is a song of praise and an offering of prayer to God for his steadfast love.
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And the words in verse 15 perhaps bring these themes together.
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You, O Lord, are a God,
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Merciful and gracious,
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Merciful and gracious,
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Merciful and gracious,
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Slow to anger,
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And abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
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I think it's fair to say and accurate that for David there was nothing as exhilarating as the greatness and grace of God.
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As we find him in his psalms and as we look through his life as it's recorded for us in the scripture,
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We find him at his best when he puts God first.
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We find him at his best, his strongest, his most useful in the hand of the Lord when he is praising God and acknowledging God and depending on God.
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And this psalm, this prayer of David really brings out this sense of that that's exhilarating.
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He acknowledges, of course, his need.
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That's where he begins and that's where we all begin this evening and that's where we always begin when we bow our heads and we close our eyes in prayer.
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I am poor and needy.
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There it is in verse 1, an acknowledgement, an acknowledgement of his need.
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And yet we'll find as we look at this psalm that this acknowledgement is that there's a tension also with anticipation.
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Because he can say that to you in verse 4, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
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Be gracious to me, Lord.
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And I will call upon you again in verse 5, verse 6.
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Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer.
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Listen to my plea for grace.
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These petitions are followed up with this unswerving anticipation.
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You answer me.
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So David, in giving God the glory in this sense of worship and wonder and thanksgiving,
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this statement of praise and this offering of prayer because of God's greatness, because of God's goodness, because of God's grace,
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brings us to a point where there's much for us to take to heart this evening and into a communion weekend and into our lives
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as we too look to serve God and honour him in our day and in our age.
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So we'll begin where David does.
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We see an acknowledgement of his need there in verse 1.
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There's no delusions of grandeur here.
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He doesn't stand in a soapbox.
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He doesn't puff himself up.
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He doesn't say, look at me.
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It's the opposite.
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He's bowing.
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There's contrition here.
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There's humility here.
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There's an acknowledgement of his weakness, his sinfulness, his propensity to get things wrong,
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a desire to get things right that doesn't always carry him through.
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O Lord, incline your ear.
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Listen to me.
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It's almost, he's acknowledging that he is poor and needy, such as his awareness of what he should be and what he isn't.
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And that's something we find throughout scripture.
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When we come to the galaxy of heroes, we're surrounded by this great, this cloud of witnesses.
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And again and again in their lives, Isaiah and Peter and John, we see this self-same acknowledgement of need.
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Isaiah, woe is me, for I am lost, for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.
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Humility, conscious of God's holiness, leaves him conscious of his own unholiness.
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We see it in Peter, 700 years later, in the fishing boat that day in the Sea of Galilee.
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Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.
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This acknowledgement of his need.
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But the acknowledgement is balanced, as we've said, by this anticipation.
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Look at verse 4.
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Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
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That's wonderful.
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And that brings us this evening to just the words in the song in chapter 3.
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I have found him who my soul loves.
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And this is this sense of exhilaration, this sense of joy and worship and thanksgiving and gratitude.
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It's all here in that gladden or make me joyful.
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Give me that sense of joy in my soul.
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For to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
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So, yes, there's an acknowledgement of need, but there's also an anticipation of being welcomed as he draws near to the throne of grace.
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So these two things combine in our own hearts and minds this evening, don't they?
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We acknowledge our need.
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We confess our sin.
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We say, Lord, be merciful to us as sinners.
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We seek the renewing power and ministry and blessing of the Holy Spirit to grant us strength and wisdom and peace,
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to be servants of the living God, to be bright, shining witnesses, to be consistently Christ-like as we become holy,
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as we are sanctified, as we are brought toward and further into the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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So there's a sense of hope here.
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Not hopelessness, but hope in this wonderful gladden the soul of your servant.
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If I were to lift up my soul for you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.
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What a wonderful petition this is.
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What an acknowledgement this is of the nature and character of the living God.
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And so we give thanks tonight that we too acknowledge our need.
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And we also have this sense of anticipation of being welcomed.
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But it's not just a theological thing or a church thing.
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It's far more wonderful than that.
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Notice the phrasing he uses in verse 2, at the end of verse 2.
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As he gives thanks and the sense of exhilaration leads him to acknowledging and professing,
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You are my God.
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Is that not why we're here tonight?
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To say as well, you are my God.
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To give thanks to him.
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To acknowledge our need, yes.
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But we do so with an anticipation of being welcomed as we join in worship and seek the living God in prayer.
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So these things combine in our experience this evening at the outset of a communion season.
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We too can say with God it is personal.
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With us it's personal.
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Because through faith in Christ we too say,
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You are my God.
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One other thing here, in a general sense.
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Acknowledgement is here.
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Anticipation is here.
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But so is awareness.
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Preserve my life, he says in verse 2.
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What's going on here?
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The little we can piece together.
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Verse 7.
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In the day of my trouble I call upon you.
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And again in verse 14.
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Insolent men have risen up against me.
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There's an awareness here.
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An awareness of trouble.
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Awareness of pressure.
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There's hardship here.
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There's difficulty here.
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Probably in David's experience, danger.
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He was a soldier.
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He knew what it was to stand on the battlefield.
27:31
And feel vulnerable.
27:32
Feel like he was made of paper.
27:33
Feel like his life could be snuffed out in a moment.
27:36
As he fought these many, many battles throughout his life.
27:39
He had that pressure.
27:41
That was almost a constant accompaniment in his experience.
27:45
Even though he had the promise of God.
27:48
And God's covenant commitment to him.
27:50
And he would use again and again God's covenant name.
27:53
In his psalms.
27:53
In his prayers.
27:54
In his walk with God.
27:55
But there was still here an awareness of trouble.
27:58
And why was that?
27:59
Because David and us tonight.
28:01
We know for a fact.
28:03
There is no promise of an easy time.
28:05
There's no promise of a stress-free, trouble-free life.
28:09
None of us have that.
28:10
That's in the mist.
28:12
That's just nonsensical.
28:14
None of us tonight can anticipate a life that's without hardship.
28:17
Heartache.
28:18
A big difficulty.
28:20
And we probably all in our own way.
28:22
In our own times.
28:23
Have experienced these things.
28:25
But what can we say then?
28:27
We can say this.
28:29
We too can share an awareness of trouble and pressure.
28:32
And maybe some this evening are dealing with things that none of us know about.
28:35
A pressure.
28:36
A difficulty.
28:37
A hardship.
28:38
Or a heartache.
28:40
Awareness of trouble marks this psalm.
28:43
And it brings the psalm into our experience.
28:45
And we enter the experience of the psalmist.
28:47
Because we can relate to this.
28:50
But what we can say is this.
28:51
We do not know what the future holds.
28:52
We do not know what tomorrow may bring.
28:55
In Romans in chapter 8.
28:57
That great seminal chapter in the New Testament.
28:59
It even says that at times we do not even know what to pray for.
29:02
There's lots of things we don't know.
29:04
But two verses later on.
29:06
In that same chapter of Romans.
29:08
We do know.
29:10
That for those who love God.
29:12
All things work together for good.
29:15
For those who are called according to his purpose.
29:18
That we do know.
29:20
So we share in this acknowledgement of weakness and failing.
29:25
We enter into this sense of anticipation of being welcomed.
29:29
We share also this sense of awareness that trouble will find us.
29:33
And we're going to go through the shadows in the same way many others do.
29:38
But yet as we do that.
29:39
As we go through those times.
29:41
These times of difficulty.
29:42
We know that.
29:43
We know that.
29:44
For those who love God.
29:47
And there's the clincher.
29:49
For those who love God.
29:50
All things work together.
29:52
That tells us that.
29:54
God in the present tense.
29:56
Is involved in his unceasing action.
29:59
Of bringing things together for good.
30:02
To those who are his children.
30:04
There's never a moment where God is not at work.
30:07
To the good of those who love him.
30:11
That's probably one of the most obvious.
30:13
And sustained targets of attack.
30:14
And sustained targets of attack for the devil.
30:18
The world, the flesh and the devil want us to doubt that verse.
30:21
The Bible's closed.
30:23
They want us to be consumed with the hardship.
30:25
And intimidated by the shadows.
30:26
And just falling flat on our faces.
30:29
Because of the difficulties we may be going through and experiencing.
30:32
All the more reason.
30:34
That we open our Bibles.
30:35
That we worship.
30:36
That we sing.
30:37
That we pray.
30:38
That we prepare in our hearts.
30:39
To come to the Lord's table.
30:42
So these themes are swirling around.
30:44
This central aspect of this psalm.
30:47
Which is the greatness and grace of God.
30:49
And that's what we'll focus on now a bit more.
30:51
For a few more moments.
30:53
That's David's.
30:55
I guess we could call David's preparation for prayer.
30:59
These things stand out.
31:01
But I want us to look tonight at his focus.
31:04
When he gets into his prayers.
31:06
And that's what we see in verses 5, 13 and 15.
31:09
You oh Lord are good and forgiving.
31:12
Abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.
31:15
Again in verse 13.
31:17
Great is your steadfast love.
31:19
Towards me.
31:20
You have delivered my soul from the depths of Shoal.
31:22
And again in verse 15.
31:24
You oh Lord are a God.
31:25
Merciful and gracious.
31:26
In this short song of praise.
31:28
In this short offering of prayer.
31:30
Three times.
31:31
David comes back to the goodness.
31:35
The grace.
31:36
And the grip of God.
31:38
That God has towards and for his people.
31:42
So we'll think about these things this evening together.
31:45
There's a sense of purpose in this language throughout this psalm.
31:51
That really does show David's heart for worship.
31:54
His sense of exhilaration and thankfulness and joy.
31:58
But we see these things especially in how he addresses the Lord.
32:03
He repeats himself here.
32:04
Give ear oh Lord to my prayer.
32:06
Listen to my plea for grace.
32:09
In the day of my trouble.
32:11
I call upon you.
32:13
For you answer me.
32:16
As David closed his eyes.
32:17
As David bowed his head.
32:20
As David probably got on his knees in prayer.
32:24
He is full of a sense of God's goodness.
32:30
He is full of a sense of God's goodness.
32:34
He's already said you are my God.
32:37
And so in verse 5 we see him saying you are abounding.
32:41
You God are good and forgiving.
32:43
Abounding in steadfast love.
32:45
So yes there's hardship and difficulty.
32:47
But David's staying the course.
32:50
His heart is fixed.
32:52
He's looking to his Lord.
32:54
He's looking to his God.
32:56
He's looking to his Saviour.
32:58
And he's doing so in a deep sense of reverence.
33:01
And that's where this prayer focus and energy comes from.
33:05
He knows who he is calling.
33:09
And he knows that he abounds, overflows in steadfast love.
33:15
And to such that pray to him in sincerity of heart.
33:18
That is what we will experience.
33:20
Look at verse 12.
33:21
I give thanks to you oh Lord my God.
33:24
With my whole heart.
33:26
And I will glorify your name forever.
33:29
I'm sure you like myself many times.
33:32
You've spoken with people perhaps who show an interest in Christian.
33:35
And things who show an interest in faith.
33:37
Who talk to you about becoming Christians.
33:39
Who talk to you about professing faith.
33:40
Who seem to be making all the right noises.
33:43
And making the right signals.
33:45
And going to the right things.
33:47
And then something happens.
33:48
And a drift sets in.
33:50
And then we don't see them again.
33:53
And we wonder what's going on there.
33:54
And I think what we find in situations like that.
33:58
Is that they are people who could not put their amen to verse 12.
34:02
I give thanks to you oh Lord my God.
34:04
With my whole heart.
34:06
Rather than being whole hearted.
34:07
They're half hearted.
34:08
Rather than God being a forethought.
34:10
God is an afterthought.
34:12
And they drift.
34:14
And you think well I'll come back to this.
34:17
I'll talk about that again.
34:18
I'll think about that another time.
34:19
And our job friends is to seek them out.
34:23
Do what we can to bring them back to the light.
34:26
To bring them back to the cross.
34:29
God's goodness then.
34:31
Is something that stirs the heart of David.
34:34
He is so sincere.
34:35
And he is so encouraged.
34:37
By the nature and character.
34:39
Of the God to whom he is calling out in prayer.
34:41
That start to finish in this psalm.
34:44
And that's why we find him three times.
34:47
Speaking about this central theme.
34:49
In verses 5 and 13 and 15.
34:51
Because it's the key.
34:53
This is the nature of our God.
34:55
The God whom we worship.
34:57
The God whom we adore.
34:59
The God whom we wish to serve this evening.
35:02
We give thanks tonight for God's goodness.
35:04
And when the world doubt and question.
35:06
And reject and claim.
35:08
And we face counterclaim to the goodness of God.
35:10
Where do we go?
35:12
We go to the cross.
35:15
The final and ultimate expression.
35:17
Declaration and proof of God's goodness.
35:22
Toward us.
35:23
This is how one writer put it.
35:25
God's grace is the source of the whole work of redemption.
35:30
It is a work God persists in.
35:33
To our salvation.
35:35
Grace overcomes us.
35:37
Bringing us to spiritual life.
35:41
What a God.
35:42
What a gospel.
35:43
And it's the goodness of God.
35:45
That is here.
35:45
Just pouring out from David's pen.
35:48
As he gives thanks to God.
35:49
In worship.
35:50
Praise and prayer.
35:51
So we see in his focus.
35:53
He really zeroes in on the goodness of God.
35:56
And then.
35:57
Secondly.
35:58
In verse 6.
35:58
We notice these words as well.
36:00
Listen to my plea for grace.
36:02
The goodness of God.
36:04
The goodness of God.
36:05
Brings him to reflect and understand further.
36:08
Something of the grace of God.
36:10
God's grace toward us.
36:12
Here we come.
36:13
Of course.
36:14
To the very heart of the gospel.
36:16
The cross of Christ.
36:18
Where by grace.
36:20
He paid our price.
36:21
And took our place.
36:23
You gather in the next days.
36:25
To remember the price he paid.
36:28
You gather on Sunday morning.
36:29
God willing.
36:29
At the table.
36:31
To remember him.
36:32
In obedience.
36:34
In dependence.
36:35
In humility.
36:36
Do this.
36:38
In remembrance of me.
36:39
Aren't we so prone to forget.
36:41
Aren't we so programmed.
36:42
To be forgetful about things.
36:45
And it's no wonder that.
36:47
The Lord.
36:47
The night he was betrayed.
36:49
Constituted the Lord's Supper.
36:51
That we would have.
36:53
Such a weapon.
36:54
At our disposal.
36:55
In our spiritual arsenal.
36:57
To combat our forgetfulness.
36:59
That we would never forget.
37:01
The cost of our salvation.
37:03
That we would never forget.
37:04
The price paid.
37:06
That we would never forget.
37:07
The person and work.
37:08
Of Jesus Christ.
37:09
The son of God.
37:11
Who Paul so movingly spoke of.
37:13
He loved me.
37:14
And gave himself for me.
37:16
And every Christian in here tonight.
37:17
Can say that.
37:18
And put their amen to that.
37:21
And so we too can anticipate.
37:23
In days to come.
37:25
And particularly on the Lord's day.
37:27
At the table.
37:28
A reflection.
37:29
And a moment.
37:29
Where you will remember.
37:31
Something of the goodness of God.
37:33
Displayed in the cross of his son.
37:35
Where we see that statement.
37:37
And declaration.
37:37
Of undeserved.
37:40
Unearned.
37:41
Unmerited.
37:42
Love.
37:43
Of God.
37:44
This is the fuel.
37:45
That drives the New Testament church.
37:47
God's grace.
37:48
And God's goodness.
37:50
For we too.
37:51
Were once lost.
37:52
And far off.
37:53
Every one of us.
37:54
We didn't grow up.
37:55
And become.
37:57
Sinners.
37:58
We're born in sin.
38:00
It's the condition.
38:01
That we come to speak of as.
38:02
Original sin.
38:03
We're born in it.
38:05
And we can't shed it.
38:06
We can't outgrow it.
38:07
We can't.
38:08
We can't leave it aside.
38:10
We don't come to a position.
38:11
In and of ourselves.
38:12
Or by the church's ministry.
38:14
Or anything else.
38:15
That we can do anything about.
38:17
The condition.
38:18
That changes.
38:19
To a lost eternity.
38:20
Which is what makes the cross.
38:23
So amazing.
38:23
And so incredible.
38:25
So humbling.
38:27
So gracious.
38:28
That Christ.
38:29
Stepped into that darkness.
38:31
That void.
38:32
That brokenness.
38:33
That lostness.
38:34
And paid a price.
38:35
We could not pay.
38:40
God's grace.
38:41
Is the fuel of everything.
38:43
That we do.
38:44
We open our doors.
38:45
We make our plans.
38:46
We hold our communion seasons.
38:48
We welcome everyone.
38:49
Don't we?
38:49
Every church that has Christ at the core.
38:52
Will always be a welcoming church.
38:53
We'll have our notice boards.
38:54
Or websites.
38:55
Or bulletins.
38:56
And we'll work at welcoming people.
38:59
Because we want them to know what we know.
39:02
We want them to know who we know.
39:04
In our hearts.
39:06
Jesus Christ.
39:07
As Lord.
39:08
And we do all this because.
39:10
Of the grace of God.
39:12
The Catechism famously.
39:16
Describes.
39:17
God as spirit.
39:18
Infinite.
39:19
Infinite.
39:20
Eternal.
39:20
And unchangeable.
39:22
In his being.
39:23
Wisdom.
39:24
Power.
39:24
Holiness.
39:25
Justice.
39:25
Goodness.
39:26
And truth.
39:28
And as we think of these wonderful characteristics.
39:31
That flow from.
39:33
The living God.
39:34
That come from the very essence.
39:36
Of God.
39:37
We give thanks.
39:38
That tonight.
39:39
We know this.
39:40
That we have the truth.
39:42
Not a truth.
39:43
Not a version of truth.
39:45
We have the truth.
39:47
The way.
39:48
The truth.
39:49
And the life.
39:50
The truth.
39:50
That sets you free.
39:52
The truth.
39:52
That brings people from darkness.
39:54
To light.
39:55
From death.
39:55
To life.
39:57
The sweet exchange.
39:59
He takes our sin.
40:01
And gives us his righteousness.
40:04
And so there is here.
40:05
In this focused prayer of David's.
40:07
The goodness of God.
40:09
And the grace.
40:10
Of God.
40:11
One.
40:12
I think it's one of the hymn writers.
40:14
Or maybe a chorus.
40:15
If anyone knows these words.
40:17
Maybe you could.
40:18
Remind me this evening.
40:19
His love has no limits.
40:21
His grace has no measure.
40:23
His power has no boundary.
40:24
Known unto man.
40:26
For out of his infinite riches.
40:28
In Jesus.
40:29
He giveth.
40:29
And giveth.
40:30
And giveth.
40:31
Again.
40:32
That wonderful.
40:34
Verse.
40:36
Which reflects these words.
40:37
We've read tonight.
40:38
You oh Lord.
40:39
In verse 15.
40:40
Are a God.
40:41
Merciful.
40:42
And gracious.
40:43
Slow to anger.
40:45
And abounding.
40:46
In steadfast love.
40:47
And faithfulness.
40:50
God's goodness.
40:51
And God's grace.
40:52
And these two truths.
40:54
Combine in a quite wonderful.
40:55
And reassuring way.
40:57
And we see this.
40:58
Lastly.
40:59
In this way.
41:00
The reality of God's goodness.
41:02
And the wonder of God's amazing grace.
41:05
Lead us to think about God's grip.
41:08
God's grip.
41:10
Verse 16.
41:12
Turn to me.
41:13
Be gracious to me.
41:14
Give your strength.
41:16
To your servant.
41:19
And then there's that very interesting phrase.
41:21
And save the son of your maidservant.
41:25
Which is I think.
41:26
The only direct reference.
41:28
In scripture.
41:29
To David's mother.
41:30
Yes.
41:30
He put his parents to more.
41:32
But a time of difficulty.
41:33
For safety.
41:34
Away from the ravaging.
41:35
Persecution of Saul.
41:36
But here David.
41:37
Refers directly to his own mother.
41:40
Save the son of your maidservant.
41:41
But he's saying here.
41:42
Give your strength.
41:43
To your servant.
41:46
God's grip.
41:48
The language of thanksgiving.
41:50
And worship.
41:50
And adoration.
41:52
In verses 8 to 10.
41:53
And these three verses.
41:54
We've looked at.
41:54
In 5.
41:55
13.
41:56
And 15.
41:57
These.
41:58
This language.
41:59
These expressions.
42:01
They come from the soul.
42:02
Of the saved.
42:04
I give thanks to you.
42:05
Oh Lord.
42:05
My God.
42:06
With my whole heart.
42:07
And I will glorify your name forever.
42:09
For great is your steadfast love.
42:11
Towards me.
42:12
Notice.
42:13
Verse 13.
42:13
You have delivered my soul.
42:15
From the depths.
42:17
Of shore.
42:17
How do we.
42:19
Reflect tonight.
42:19
On God's grip.
42:21
Upon us.
42:22
By his grace.
42:23
Well this psalm.
42:25
Uses several phrases.
42:27
Let me just.
42:27
Run through them.
42:29
Preserve me.
42:30
Save me.
42:31
Hear me.
42:33
Teach me.
42:34
Lead me.
42:36
Deliver me.
42:37
Save me.
42:39
This is a God.
42:40
Of infinite.
42:42
And eternal love.
42:44
Who gave his son.
42:46
That we might live.
42:47
That we tonight.
42:47
Would gather around.
42:49
And in the name of a risen savor.
42:50
Who tasted death.
42:52
Who paid that price.
42:55
And now by grace.
42:57
He holds us.
42:59
In his grip.
42:59
The goodness of God.
43:02
The grace of God.
43:03
And the grip of God.
43:04
There is peace here.
43:06
And there is comfort here.
43:08
And notice.
43:09
How the psalm.
43:10
Concludes.
43:11
You Lord.
43:12
Have helped me.
43:14
You Lord.
43:15
Have comforted me.
43:18
And that comes from.
43:20
David's awareness.
43:21
Not where we began.
43:23
Of his sinfulness.
43:23
And his weakness.
43:24
And his failings.
43:25
Yes.
43:25
But now.
43:26
He's in this place.
43:27
Of.
43:29
Reflecting upon.
43:30
And giving thanks.
43:31
For God's goodness.
43:32
God's grace.
43:33
And God's grip.
43:34
Upon him.
43:35
And that's why.
43:36
The psalm finishes.
43:37
With this sense.
43:38
Of being helped.
43:40
And being.
43:41
Comforted.
43:43
Helped.
43:43
And being comforted.
43:44
Very similar language.
43:45
To Psalm 131.
43:47
Which reads so well.
43:48
In the Singed Psalms version.
43:49
My heart's not proud.
43:50
O Lord.
43:51
Nor haughty is my eye.
43:52
I do not occupy myself.
43:54
With things.
43:54
Too great or high.
43:56
My spirit.
43:57
I have calmed.
43:58
My heart is pacified.
44:00
My soul is like.
44:01
A little child.
44:02
Close to its mother's side.
44:05
The comfort.
44:06
That comes.
44:07
From a personal relationship.
44:09
With the living God.
44:11
Is the particular joy.
44:13
And privilege.
44:14
Of every Christian.
44:15
Here this evening.
44:16
This is.
44:17
God's blessing.
44:18
Toward us.
44:19
That in Christ.
44:20
We too.
44:21
Can have this.
44:22
Sense of calm.
44:23
And being pacified.
44:25
Through being helped.
44:26
And being comforted.
44:27
Because.
44:28
As David.
44:29
Could rely on God's grip.
44:31
Upon him.
44:31
So too.
44:33
Do we tonight.
44:34
Again of course.
44:35
The world.
44:36
The flesh.
44:36
And the devil out there.
44:37
Will rail against us.
44:38
Rail against you.
44:40
Challenge you.
44:41
Question you.
44:42
Reject you.
44:42
Rebuke you.
44:43
Perhaps try to.
44:44
Humiliate you.
44:45
Try to wind you up.
44:46
And poke fun at you.
44:47
At times.
44:48
Leave you with a sense of.
44:50
Isolation.
44:51
But.
44:51
We reject all these things.
44:52
We reject the world's ways.
44:55
And we face the world.
44:56
With the promises of God.
44:58
We trust in the Lord.
44:59
With all our heart.
45:01
We live for him.
45:02
In a whole.
45:03
Hearted manner.
45:04
I give thanks to you.
45:05
Oh Lord.
45:05
My God.
45:06
With my whole heart.
45:08
And I will ever glorify.
45:10
Your name.
45:12
For great.
45:13
Is your steadfast love.
45:15
God.
45:15
And I will.
45:15
For me.
45:17
Perhaps.
45:17
A communion season.
45:18
Brings all these things.
45:20
To the fore.
45:20
In a special way.
45:21
In a very.
45:22
Personal way.
45:23
When we remember.
45:24
And reflect upon.
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What God has done for us.
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And I trust and pray.
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That as you.
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Do so.
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This weekend.
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And take.
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Your place.
45:33
At the table.
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Of your Lord.
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And Saviour.
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That you will do so.
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With this sense.
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Of being helped.
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And being comforted.
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That you will do so.
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Not so much.
45:44
With an awareness.
45:44
Of your.
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Sinfulness.
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But an awareness.
45:49
Of God's goodness.
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God's grace.
45:51
And God's grip.
45:53
That grip.
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He has of you.
45:55
For we know.
45:55
That in Christ.
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We belong.
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To the church of Christ.
45:58
The church.
45:59
Purchased with his own blood.
46:01
That phrase.
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Resonates deeply.
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When we see.
46:05
The indifference.
46:06
And antagonism.
46:07
Of the world.
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Around us.
46:08
And so we face.
46:10
Indifference.
46:10
And we do it.
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To the glory.
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Of God.
46:14
There is a peace.
46:15
Then here.
46:16
There is a peace.
46:17
That allows David.
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To praise.
46:19
And pray.
46:20
And we give thanks.
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For this example.
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And we would seek.
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To take it to heart.
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As David says.
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In verse 11.
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Teach me.
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Your way.
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O Lord.
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That I may walk in it.
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That I may walk in your truth.
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And in this phrase.
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Unite my heart.
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To fear your name.
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That's a phrase.
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That speaks of having.
46:37
A devoted heart.
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Not two-mindedness.
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It's not uncertainly.
46:41
Being pulled from the pillar to post.
46:42
Or thinking.
46:43
Going left to right.
46:44
But devoted.
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In fear.
46:47
Which is a word of course.
46:48
Of devotion.
46:49
Commitment.
46:50
Closeness.
46:51
Leaning on.
46:52
The living God.
46:53
That's what he asks of all of us.
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That as he teaches.
46:57
We walk in what we learn.
46:59
That the light.
47:00
Of the glorious gospel of grace.
47:02
That has been revealed to us.
47:04
In the face of Jesus Christ.
47:05
Would be seen.
47:06
In how each one of us live.
47:07
How we conduct ourselves.
47:10
The choices we make.
47:11
The language we use.
47:12
The decisions we make.
47:13
Privately and publicly.
47:14
In the workplace.
47:15
At home.
47:16
May we be found living in a manner that is wholehearted.
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Seeking to glorify the name of our Lord and Saviour.
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Jesus Christ.
47:26
David then is focused in prayer.
47:28
And he finishes.
47:29
Looking for wisdom.
47:31
In living.
47:32
And strength for serving.
47:33
May you know God's blessing.
47:35
As you anticipate the table to come.
47:38
May you look up.
47:40
And may you say as the song said.
47:43
I found him who my soul loves.
47:46
Comforting you.
47:48
And helping you.
47:49
And reassuring you.
47:50
By word and sacrament.
47:51
Over these days.
47:53
To live wholeheartedly for him.
47:56
We'll bow in prayer for a moment together.
48:00
Gracious Lord.
48:01
Ever blessed Father.
48:02
We thank you for your goodness toward us.
48:06
Lord we bless you for the bounty of your provision.
48:09
For the depth.
48:10
For the wonder of the gospel.
48:13
Where Christ in his covenant commitment came.
48:17
A covenant commitment made from all eternity.
48:20
To save a people to himself.
48:22
We bless you that our Redeemer.
48:25
Has tasted death in our place.
48:29
Has paid a price we could not pay.
48:31
And now at the right hand of the majesty on high.
48:35
He affects a sympathetic ministry toward us.
48:38
What a saviour.
48:40
What hope.
48:42
What joy.
48:43
What assurance.
48:44
Be with us Lord.
48:45
As we take these things to heart.
48:47
And may the spirit himself apply them to us.
48:49
Day by day.
48:50
In Jesus name.
48:51
Amen.
48:51
I will sing from the psalter.
48:57
And we'll sing this psalm together.
48:58
Psalm 86.
49:00
Singing from verse 9.
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And we'll sing to verse 12.
49:04
Psalm 86.
49:05
Singing from verse 9 to verse 12.
49:07
All nations whom they made shall come and worship reverently before thy face.
49:12
And thee oh Lord thy name shall glorify.
49:15
Because thou art exceeding great.
49:17
And works by thee are done.
49:19
Which are to be admired.
49:20
And thou art God thyself alone.
49:22
Alone.
49:23
We'll stand and sing together.
49:24
All nations whom they made shall come and worship reverently before thy face.
49:48
And thee oh Lord thy name shall glorify.
50:00
Because thou art exceeding great.
50:10
And works by thee are done.
50:17
Which are to thee a mark and love.
50:27
Are told thyself alone.
50:33
Teach me thy way.
50:39
Teach me thy way.
50:40
And in thy truth.
50:44
O Lord and Lord will I.
50:52
Unite my heart.
50:57
But I thy name.
51:00
May fear continually.
51:07
O Lord my God with all my heart.
51:19
To thee I will give praise.
51:26
And I thy glory will ascribe.
51:36
And to thy name always.
51:42
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
51:47
The love of God the Father.
51:49
And fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
51:51
Amen.