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Psalm 34 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Go ahead and take your copy of God's Word and open up to Psalm 34.
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Psalm chapter 34.
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My daughter, we think, has been teething lately, and so you can imagine how my nights have been.
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! So I had way more coffee than I should have, so if I start shaking uncontrollably, it's not the Spirit or, you know, anything like that.
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It's just a lot of caffeine.
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So, but yeah, we'll be looking at Psalm 34 this morning.
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And, you know, I feel like since we're doing kind of random psalms this summer, every week started off with like an apologetic, like, why I picked this psalm.
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I picked this one because it relates heavily to the Sermon on the Mount, so you know I was going to take that opportunity, because if you know me, I'll take any excuse to bring that up.
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But then as I finished prep today, or yesterday, sorry, as I finished prep, I realized I never actually got to it.
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I didn't have time, so I was really sad and disappointed.
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So I say that on the front end to encourage you this week, if you have time, to read this side-by-side with the Beatitudes, Matthew 5, verses 3 through 12.
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And I trust that that will be a great benefit to you.
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But our text today is Psalm 34.
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This is a psalm that David wrote after his incident before Achish, the king of Gath.
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And you'll notice our psalm says, in the superscript, it says,
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After David changed before Abimelech.
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Okay, but Abimelech is not a name.
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It is a title.
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His name was Achish.
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And if you're familiar with this story, you'll recall from 1 Samuel, chapter 21, verses 10 through 15, that David was fleeing King Saul for his life.
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And in his evasion of Saul, he went into pagan territory, the homeland of Goliath, in fact, the giant that he had killed.
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And he went to Gath.
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And the residents of Gath recognized David and essentially said to themselves,
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Isn't this that guy that killed a bunch of our buddies?
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Isn't this why card night has been poorly attended?
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It's a lot of empty chairs.
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And David, recognizing that they were likely preparing to take vengeance to kill him,
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he begins to act as though he were crazier, loonier, insane to save himself.
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Right?
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And he did this to the point of letting spit run down his beard,
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which was a powerfully shameful image in the ancient world.
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And so why did he do this?
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Again, to preserve himself.
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He was hoping that, oh, they'll see I'm crazy, take pity on me, and not even take the time to kill me,
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because I'm just this crazy guy.
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And so it was.
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David was able to leave Gath with his life at the expense of great personal shame.
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But Psalm 34 records his thoughts after this event.
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Our psalm today is a reflection, then, of what was spurned in his mind by that event.
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And it leads him to worship the Lord, to testify concerning the Lord,
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and to instruct others for things pertaining to life and godliness.
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So our outline is simple, just a three-step outline.
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Number one, David's testimony.
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Number two, David's teaching.
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And number three, David's conclusion.
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So number one, David's testimony, verses 1 through 10.
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We'll begin reading in verse 1.
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David writes,
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So it's remarkable that David begins his psalm with praise.
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So contextually, remember, he's on the run from Saul, who wants to kill him.
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He narrowly escapes the Philistines by pretending to be crazy.
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And they, too, wanted to kill him.
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He's surrounded by his followers out in the wilderness,
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nowhere to safely lay his head and nowhere to safely worship the Lord,
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without the constant threat of death.
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And yet, here he is, worshiping the Lord.
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Verse 1,
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I will bless the Lord at all times.
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This praise is continually in his mouth.
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And that should be convicting to us all.
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I think of the times you've neglected Bible reading, neglected prayer, neglected fasting,
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neglected singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs because of whatever,
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behind on work, family obligations.
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I'm tired.
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I don't feel like it.
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We've all used those excuses before.
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And here is David, who probably had the best excuse, right?
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Lord, sorry, a bunch of people are trying to kill me.
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Don't have time to talk to you right now.
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Yet, he is worshiping the Lord.
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So this, for me, and I trust for all of us,
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was warrant to stop pretending as though our lives are so busy,
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as if our lives are so chaotic that we can't find time each day
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to worship the Lord through the means he has intended.
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And so I would encourage any of you who are limping spiritually right now
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to go before the Lord in prayer,
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to go before him and confess your sin
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and make a game plan to return to the restful work of worshiping the Lord.
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It is good for us to be humbly worshiping him
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and boasting of him and him alone.
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And in verse 3, don't miss the fact
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that David is worshiping the Lord in community.
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He's talking to somebody.
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He's talking to his guys,
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the guys with him out in the wilderness.
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He says, magnify the Lord with me.
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Let us exalt his name together.
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So these men who chose God's chosen,
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these men who have sided with David over Saul.
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This is the faith community, right?
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This is, dare I say, the church, right?
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This is the faith community in the Old Testament gathered around David,
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worshiping the Lord, being persecuted by the falsely religious Saul.
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And David invites them all to worship the Lord,
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and he's about to give testimony to God's goodness.
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So I would extend the same invitation to us all this morning,
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that as we read, as we meditate, as we think on God's word,
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we would worship the Lord and reflect upon his goodness to David together,
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recognizing that God's care for David and his band
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is paradigmatic for how he cares for us today.
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So looking at verse 4,
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we'll see David's testimonial of God's salvation and deliverance begin.
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He writes in verse 4,
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So why does David praise God?
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Because David has been delivered from all his fears.
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I don't know what all of his fears were exactly,
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but we can have a good idea, right?
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I get a good sense that he's probably afraid of Saul.
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He's probably afraid of Philistines.
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Death is probably on his mind constantly.
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He probably feared starving on the run, right?
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You can read stories of him taking bread from the priests.
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He left even without his weapons.
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So I'd imagine he's pretty fearful of these things.
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He's probably fearful of failure, right?
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All these men who've chosen to side with him out in the wilderness,
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their lives, their family lives, all at stake.
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And the amount of pressure and the fear
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that often accompanies such pressure for someone like David
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is unimaginable.
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Unimaginable.
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David testifies that those who look to God
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shall never be ashamed in verse 5.
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And the language of this verse is reminiscence of Moses,
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whose face changed in the presence of God in Exodus 34,
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verses 29 through 35.
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If you recall, Moses came down from Mount Sinai,
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and when he came down, his face was radiant,
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and all of Israel was afraid of him
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because of how radiant his face was.
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It changed every time he met with God.
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And likewise, we have the benefit of the New Testament,
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which gives us a portrait of the greater Moses,
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our Lord Jesus Christ.
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Matthew 17 records Jesus' transfiguration
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before the disciples, the inner circle.
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And Jesus' face shone, is the words.
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His face shone like the sun,
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and his clothes became white as light.
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So Moses, his face was merely radiant,
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a reflection.
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It radiated the light of God.
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But here, Jesus, the light just came out from him,
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because he is God.
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So that greater description of Christ,
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clothes, in fact, lit up white.
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And David's testimony in verse 5,
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that all who look to God are radiant,
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and their faces shall never be ashamed,
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is language used throughout the Bible
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to describe those who draw near to God.
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Language used to describe those who put their trust in God.
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They are looking to him and him alone for deliverance,
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and he will deliver.
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They will not be ashamed.
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And so David's confidence is so strong,
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despite the circumstances.
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He says repeatedly and emphatically
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that God saves those who look to him,
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the righteous, the humble,
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the brokenhearted,
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as we shall see.
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And David's confidence is strong
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because it is in the Lord and not himself.
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Look at verse 6.
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David says of himself,
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This poor man cried,
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and the Lord heard him
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and saved him out of all his troubles.
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This poor man cried.
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And again, the emphasis of it being
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all of David's troubles that he is saved from.
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God saves the whole man
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from the whole of his issues.
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So perhaps you came to church today
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by dragging yourself,
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right?
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Finances have you weighed down,
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you're anxious,
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strife in your families,
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consuming your thoughts and energy,
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right?
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You're bitter, angry, or frustrated
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that you're incapable of reconciling
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all the wrongs.
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Perhaps a sense of loss,
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whether it be someone you know,
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a phase of life that you miss,
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or a friend who has moved away,
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your discontent.
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Perhaps you don't even know why you are,
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but you just know that you are
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dragging day to day,
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moment to moment.
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And one way or another,
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you've come to a place
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where you just recognize
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that you are powerless
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to do anything meaningful.
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You are incapable of effectively
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seeing the change
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you want to see in life.
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In fact, you recognize that
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even if you did have that power,
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you don't even know
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what's good for you,
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so you wouldn't bring it about
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because you don't know
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what to bring about.
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So even if you were this powerful,
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you recognize that ultimately
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you are weak, foolish, blind,
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deaf, and dumb.
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I can't do anything on my own.
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I can't provide for myself.
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I cannot save myself.
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If you've come to that place,
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that's the kind of state
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David was in,
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right?
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That blessed, poor man.
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David does not look to his kingship.
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He does not look to his army.
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He does not look to anything like that,
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but to God.
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And by grace,
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the Lord heard his cries,
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and he will hear ours too
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if we'd only look to him,
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right, to seek him
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and to worship him
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with fear and reverence,
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like David.
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And for those of us
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who do fear the Lord,
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who recognize that we're broken,
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that we're poor,
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that we deserve death
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and condemnation
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because of our sin.
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There's good news
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in verse 7.
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The angel of the Lord
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encamps around those
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who fear him
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and delivers them.
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Again, David seems
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to be picking up
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on Moses
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and his writings.
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The Lord encamped
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in the midst of Israel
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when they traveled
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in the wilderness.
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The Levite priests
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were tediously instructed
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on how to march
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with the Lord's tabernacle
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at the center.
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And the priests
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would surround it
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in the way they marched
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and the way they camped
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and the way they did everything.
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Numbers 1,
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chapter 1,
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verse 53,
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explains why.
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Moses writes,
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But the Levites
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shall camp
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around the tabernacle
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of testimony
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so that there may be
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no wrath
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on the congregation
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of the people of Israel.
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So Levites,
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as priests,
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provided a hedge
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of protection,
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so to speak,
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from God's holiness
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destroying the unholy people
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whom he tabernacled with.
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This was the means
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by which God
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was able to dwell
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with Israel
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by priests,
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by sacrifice,
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by bloodshed,
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by a covering.
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And the priests
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functioned as that covering.
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But notice Psalm 34,
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7 doesn't say
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the Levites
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encamp around his people.
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It says the angel
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of the Lord
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encamps
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around his people.
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David seems
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to understand
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that this angel
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of the Lord figure
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is one who will take
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the role of priest.
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This is one
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who will be a barrier
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between us
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and the wrath of God
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which we justly deserve.
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And we know,
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of course,
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from the New Testament
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that the angel
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of the Lord
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is Jesus Christ.
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He provides
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the perfect sacrifice
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by offering himself
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on the cross
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to bear the wrath
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of God
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which we deserve.
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He intercedes
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before the Father
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on our behalf.
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Whoa.
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And he takes
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the role
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not only of high priest
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but the role
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of sacrificial lamb.
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Okay?
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And only he is fit
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for such a role.
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Who better
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to encamp
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around the people
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of God
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to shield us
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from the wrath
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of God
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than God
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himself.
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And we could show
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that the angel
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of the Lord
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is Jesus
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in a number
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of ways
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but spice it
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to say
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the angel
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of the Lord
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appears
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throughout
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the Old Testament.
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One example
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is when Abraham
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is about
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to sacrifice Isaac.
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We know
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from Genesis 22
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11 through 18
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it's the angel
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of the Lord
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who shows up
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and says don't.
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And then again
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in Exodus 3 too
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it's the angel
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of the Lord
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who speaks
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to Moses
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through the burning bush.
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And very significantly
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the gospel
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of John
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opens by explaining
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how the word
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became flesh
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and Jesus
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was the word.
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John writes
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in chapter 1
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verse 14
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and this is the translation
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I like
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he writes
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and the word
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became flesh
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Jesus became flesh
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and tabernacled
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among us.
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Now the Greek word
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here is usually
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translated as
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dwelt
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or
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encamped.
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However
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John seems
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intentionally
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to be picking
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this word
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in a context
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where he's
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showing the deity
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and humanity
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of Christ.
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All that to say
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that
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John seems
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to have
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the ideas
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of tabernacle
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of wilderness
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wanderings
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of God
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among man
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all these things
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seem to be
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streaming through
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this one
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word choice
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tabernacled
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this angel
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of the Lord
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who encamps
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around those
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who fear him
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our Lord Jesus
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who delivers us.
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that's who
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David is
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talking about.
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So what does
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it mean
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to fear
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the Lord
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then?
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What does
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it mean
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to look
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like one
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who is
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of that
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community
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who fears
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the Lord
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who will be
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shielded
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from the
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wrath
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to come?
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Well we'll
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come back
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to that
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in verse
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11
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as David
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does
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but looking
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at verses
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8-10
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see how
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David cannot
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help but
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burst into
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praise again.
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He says
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in verse
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8
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O taste
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and see
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that the
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Lord is
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good.
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Blessed
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is the
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man who
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takes refuge
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in him.
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O fear
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the Lord
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you his
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saints
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for those
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who fear
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him
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have no
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lack.
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The young
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lions suffer
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want and
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hunger
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but those
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who seek
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the Lord
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lack
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no
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good
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thing.
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Now I
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love
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eating.
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I love
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good food.
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And when I
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picture an
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ideal time
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with family
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or friends
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or whoever
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food is
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a constant.
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I picture
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you know
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ribs,
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fries,
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you name it,
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watermelon,
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all that
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stuff.
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And there's
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just something
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amazing about
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tasting.
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And there's
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really no
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substitute
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for tasting.
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I can't
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really think
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of anything
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that is
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like
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tasting.
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In fact,
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one of the
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times I
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felt the
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most subhuman
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in my
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life was
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when I
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had COVID
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and lost
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my taste.
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It was
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like,
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oh man,
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like there
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goes half
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my life.
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It was
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miserable.
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And God
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designed us
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with taste buds
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for a reason,
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right?
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To enjoy
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his gifts
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of food,
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not in a
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gluttonous
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way,
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but still
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to enjoy
18:27
nonetheless,
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right?
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All the
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variety,
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all the
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nuance that
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you can get
18:31
just from
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a piece
18:32
of steak
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and how
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salted it
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is,
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how grilled
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it is,
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or how
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smoked it
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is,
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all the
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things you
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can do
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to that
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little guy
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that just
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invites it,
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you know?
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And then you
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add in,
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you know,
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vegetables,
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if they're
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buttered and
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cooked,
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of course,
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you know?
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All these
18:47
kind of
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things.
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And so I
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love David's
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imagery here,
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taste,
18:52
that the
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Lord is
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good,
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right?
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The nuance,
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the flavor,
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the experience
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from bite to
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bite,
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from hotter
19:01
to colder,
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I mean,
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just all those
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things.
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How much
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more so
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with the
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Lord?
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How much
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greater,
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how much
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more satisfying,
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how much
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more joyful
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is it to
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taste that
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the Lord is
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good in so
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many ways,
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in every
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way?
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And David
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invites us to
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see that he
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is good,
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too.
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You know,
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what is it
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about a smile
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from someone
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that is so
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comforting?
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What is it
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about seeing
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someone look
19:28
at us with a
19:29
caring eye,
19:30
or loving
19:30
eye?
19:32
What is it
19:32
about seeing
19:33
great rocks
19:34
and trees
19:34
and mountains
19:35
and these
19:35
kinds of
19:36
things that
19:37
evokes awe,
19:38
beauty,
19:38
and goodness
19:39
in our
19:40
hearts and
19:41
minds?
19:42
Again,
19:43
whatever that
19:43
is,
19:45
imagine seeing
19:46
God in our
19:46
faces becoming
19:47
radiant because
19:49
of his
19:49
surpassing
19:50
goodness,
19:51
his surpassing
19:52
glory,
19:54
to imagine
19:54
that.
19:56
In a way,
19:57
David is
19:57
saying,
19:57
give God
19:58
the eye
19:58
test.
20:00
And with
20:00
great confidence,
20:01
he's saying,
20:02
if you look
20:03
to him,
20:03
if you give
20:04
him that
20:04
test,
20:04
if you try
20:05
him out
20:06
in this
20:06
way,
20:07
no doubt
20:08
you'll see
20:08
he is
20:09
good.
20:11
Not evil,
20:12
not a
20:13
disappointing
20:13
eye,
20:14
not an
20:14
unloving
20:14
father,
20:15
not a
20:15
distant
20:15
father,
20:16
not a
20:17
shady
20:17
character
20:18
whom we
20:18
don't know
20:18
what to
20:19
make of,
20:20
but we'll
20:20
see and
20:21
know the
20:22
Lord is
20:23
good.
20:25
And the
20:26
man who
20:26
takes refuge
20:27
in this
20:27
good Lord
20:28
is called
20:28
blessed.
20:30
So you
20:30
can see
20:31
the Sermon
20:31
on the
20:31
Mount,
20:32
right?
20:32
Oh,
20:32
man.
20:34
This is a
20:35
beatitude,
20:36
and they
20:36
are found
20:36
throughout
20:37
Scripture,
20:38
Old and
20:38
New Testament.
20:41
Essentially,
20:41
the idea
20:42
is that
20:42
someone is
20:43
considered
20:44
blessed
20:44
when the
20:45
sum of
20:46
their life
20:46
will equate
20:47
to flourishing,
20:48
to happiness,
20:49
fortunate,
20:49
or bliss.
20:51
This does
20:52
not mean
20:52
that a person
20:53
will not
20:53
experience
20:54
persecution
20:55
or trials,
20:55
but that
20:57
in the
20:57
grand
20:57
scheme
20:58
of
20:58
things,
20:58
in the
20:58
sum
20:59
total,
20:59
the
20:59
negatives
21:00
are
21:00
insignificant.
21:02
Why?
21:03
Because they
21:03
are only
21:03
used,
21:04
beatitudes
21:05
that is,
21:05
they are
21:06
only used
21:06
to describe
21:07
true
21:08
believers.
21:09
So in
21:09
the grand
21:10
scheme
21:10
of things,
21:11
even though
21:11
you might
21:11
be boiled
21:12
in a pot
21:13
in this
21:13
life for
21:13
Christ's
21:14
sake,
21:15
in the
21:16
grand
21:16
scheme
21:16
of things,
21:17
you are
21:17
blessed
21:17
because you
21:18
will reign
21:18
in
21:18
eternity
21:19
with God
21:19
by grace.
21:20
So anyone
21:23
in this
21:25
life can
21:26
see that
21:26
the Lord
21:26
is good,
21:28
but only
21:28
the one
21:29
who takes
21:30
refuge in
21:30
the Lord
21:31
will feast
21:32
and enjoy
21:33
him forever
21:33
and eternity.
21:35
Those of us
21:36
who have
21:36
recognized
21:37
that we
21:37
are poor
21:38
men like
21:39
David and
21:39
have sought
21:40
the Lord
21:41
alone for
21:42
this refuge,
21:42
this deliverance,
21:43
this salvation
21:44
with which he
21:45
speaks,
21:45
will not
21:47
be disappointed.
21:48
So what
21:50
are we
21:50
to do?
21:52
Well,
21:52
David says
21:52
in verses
21:53
9-10
21:53
that we
21:54
are to
21:54
fear the
21:55
Lord.
21:55
Why?
21:56
Because he
21:56
encamps
21:57
around those
21:58
who fear
21:59
him.
21:59
He saves
21:59
those
22:00
who fear
22:01
him.
22:01
And because
22:01
he is
22:02
good to
22:03
those
22:03
who fear
22:04
him,
22:05
they lack
22:05
no good
22:06
thing.
22:09
Others
22:09
will starve
22:10
and hunger
22:10
and thirst
22:11
and shall
22:11
not be
22:12
satisfied
22:12
like young
22:13
lions,
22:15
but we
22:16
who place
22:16
faith in
22:17
Christ
22:17
will not
22:18
be ashamed.
22:19
We will
22:19
be
22:19
delivered.
22:22
Now we
22:23
get asked
22:23
the question,
22:24
what does
22:24
it mean
22:25
to fear
22:25
the Lord?
22:27
We've
22:27
had David's
22:28
testimony
22:28
of God's
22:29
goodness
22:29
from verses
22:30
1-10
22:31
to which
22:32
he discussed
22:33
the fear
22:33
of the
22:33
Lord a
22:34
lot,
22:35
but what
22:35
actually
22:36
is it?
22:38
Well,
22:38
here David's
22:39
second invitation
22:40
verses 11-12
22:41
he says,
22:42
come,
22:42
oh children,
22:43
listen to
22:44
me.
22:45
I will
22:45
teach you
22:46
the fear
22:47
of the
22:47
Lord.
22:48
So
22:48
everything
22:48
we're
22:48
about
22:49
to read
22:49
will cover
22:50
this.
22:50
What
22:50
is the
22:51
fear
22:51
of the
22:51
Lord?
22:52
But he
22:53
goes on
22:53
in verse
22:53
12 to
22:54
spice it
22:55
up more.
22:55
He says,
22:56
what man
22:56
is there
22:57
who desires
22:59
life and
23:00
loves many
23:00
days that
23:01
he may
23:02
see good?
23:04
He's
23:05
asking,
23:05
who loves
23:06
life and
23:06
desires a
23:07
long,
23:07
full,
23:08
flourishing
23:09
time on
23:09
earth by
23:10
walking with
23:11
God,
23:11
by seeing
23:12
good?
23:13
God,
23:13
he may
23:15
have
23:15
to
23:16
love
23:17
him.
23:17
And I
23:20
just want
23:20
to pause
23:20
for a
23:21
moment and
23:21
reflect on
23:22
something here.
23:24
You know,
23:24
I cannot tell
23:25
you how often
23:25
I've expressed
23:26
something like,
23:27
I can't wait
23:29
till this is all
23:29
over.
23:30
Right?
23:31
Not in a
23:31
depressed sense,
23:32
not in a
23:33
suicidal sense,
23:34
but just simply
23:35
recognizing that
23:36
once this life
23:37
is over,
23:37
I'm not going
23:38
to miss it.
23:39
Right?
23:39
I'm going to be
23:39
in heaven,
23:40
I'm going to
23:41
enjoy God,
23:41
there's nothing
23:42
in this life
23:43
I would
23:43
prefer over
23:44
that.
23:45
And so
23:46
there's been
23:46
this expression
23:47
of just,
23:48
man,
23:48
I can't wait
23:48
for this all
23:49
to be over,
23:49
the suffering,
23:50
the pain,
23:51
the agony,
23:52
all of it.
23:53
And I've
23:54
heard many
23:54
of you
23:54
express this
23:55
in similar
23:56
ways.
23:57
But here,
23:58
David assumes
23:59
we ought
24:00
to long
24:01
for a long
24:02
life to
24:03
see good.
24:06
And I am
24:06
so encouraged
24:08
by this.
24:09
Like me,
24:10
you've probably
24:10
looked at the
24:11
world and
24:11
just thought,
24:12
wow,
24:13
it was already
24:14
bad and it
24:14
just seems to
24:15
be aggressively,
24:17
unceasingly
24:18
getting worse
24:19
at a rapid
24:20
rate.
24:20
I can't even
24:21
keep up with
24:22
it.
24:23
Right?
24:24
We wake up
24:24
and the reality
24:25
is pretty much
24:26
every week we're
24:26
hearing about a
24:27
school shooting.
24:29
Right?
24:29
More anger,
24:29
more confusion,
24:31
more broken
24:32
families,
24:33
sexual revolution
24:34
is going on
24:35
in more directions
24:36
than ever imaginable
24:37
and on and on.
24:39
And this rightly
24:41
makes us all
24:42
just long
24:43
for Christ's
24:44
return,
24:44
long for heaven.
24:47
But even so,
24:48
David,
24:49
in the midst
24:49
of the same
24:50
fallen and
24:51
broken world,
24:52
holds out the
24:53
enticement.
24:54
Who desires
24:55
a long life
24:56
that they may
24:57
see good?
25:00
Who wants to
25:01
live a long life
25:01
and see good
25:02
despite all
25:03
the evil
25:04
in this world?
25:06
This was like
25:06
a Frodo
25:07
moment for me.
25:08
It was Sam
25:08
Wise just told
25:09
me, you know,
25:10
there's good
25:10
in this world
25:11
and it's worth
25:11
fighting for.
25:12
I mean,
25:12
it's just like,
25:13
oh, you know.
25:15
So how do we
25:16
find this good?
25:18
How do we
25:18
experience God
25:19
here and now?
25:20
How do we
25:20
live the good
25:22
in long life
25:23
in this fallen,
25:24
broken,
25:25
dark world
25:26
if the Lord
25:27
wills?
25:29
Well,
25:29
let's look at
25:30
David's teaching,
25:31
the second part
25:32
of our outline,
25:33
David's teaching
25:33
in verses 11
25:35
through 20.
25:36
So what is
25:37
David teaching?
25:37
As we said,
25:38
he's teaching
25:38
the fear
25:39
of the Lord
25:40
as he says
25:41
in verse 11
25:42
and he describes
25:43
it in verses
25:44
13 through 14
25:45
where he writes,
25:47
keep your tongue
25:48
from evil
25:49
and your lips
25:51
from speaking
25:51
deceit.
25:52
Turn away
25:53
from evil
25:54
and do good.
25:56
Seek peace
25:57
and pursue it.
26:00
According to
26:00
David,
26:01
the fear of the
26:02
Lord is obedience
26:03
or at least
26:04
it results
26:04
in obedience.
26:07
And that should
26:07
sound familiar,
26:08
right?
26:08
Doesn't that sound
26:09
like our study
26:09
of James
26:10
which we went
26:11
through recently?
26:13
Control your tongue,
26:15
practice good,
26:15
seek peace,
26:16
pursue it
26:17
wherever you
26:17
don't have it.
26:20
The good life
26:20
is not one full
26:21
of cursing
26:22
and bitterness
26:23
and anger
26:24
and conflict
26:24
and loose talk
26:26
or sin,
26:27
but it is full
26:28
of peace,
26:29
joy,
26:30
love,
26:31
harmony,
26:31
wholeness.
26:32
These good
26:33
things.
26:35
And we begin
26:36
this good life
26:37
according to
26:38
David,
26:38
we begin
26:39
this good life
26:39
by repenting.
26:41
Right?
26:41
He says,
26:42
turn away.
26:43
You could replace
26:43
that with the
26:44
language repent
26:45
from evil
26:46
and do
26:47
good.
26:50
Now,
26:50
perhaps you're
26:51
frustrated by
26:52
some of the
26:52
things I'm
26:52
saying like
26:53
earth to Zach,
26:54
people in this
26:55
life are evil
26:56
and they hate
26:57
us.
26:58
Right?
26:58
How can I
26:59
ever live in
27:00
peace when
27:01
they will
27:01
give me none?
27:02
How can I
27:02
ever hold my
27:04
lips when
27:04
they do
27:04
nothing but
27:05
let theirs
27:06
go?
27:07
How can I
27:07
not repay
27:08
evil for
27:10
evil?
27:12
But keep
27:12
reading verses
27:13
15 through
27:13
18 and
27:14
notice the
27:15
contrast.
27:17
David writes,
27:17
the eyes
27:18
of the
27:18
Lord are
27:19
toward the
27:20
righteous
27:20
and his
27:22
ears toward
27:23
their cry.
27:25
The face
27:25
of the
27:25
Lord is
27:26
against those
27:27
who do
27:27
evil to
27:28
cut off the
27:29
memory of
27:30
them from
27:30
the earth.
27:31
When the
27:32
righteous cry
27:33
for help,
27:34
the Lord
27:34
hears and
27:34
delivers them
27:35
out of all
27:36
their troubles.
27:38
The Lord
27:39
is near to
27:40
the broken
27:40
hearted and
27:42
saves the
27:43
crushed and
27:44
spirits.
27:45
So the
27:46
contrast,
27:46
God is
27:47
for the
27:48
righteous and
27:49
he opposes
27:50
the evildoer.
27:52
We won't
27:52
even remember
27:53
the wicked,
27:54
nor will
27:54
anyone remember
27:55
the wicked.
27:58
Their evil
27:58
lives and
28:00
the damage
28:00
they do
28:00
during those
28:01
lives is
28:02
so small,
28:03
so inconsequential
28:04
and so
28:05
brief.
28:07
As Job
28:08
18.5
28:08
says,
28:09
indeed,
28:10
the light
28:10
of the
28:10
wicked goes
28:11
out and
28:11
the flame
28:11
of his
28:12
fire gives
28:13
no light.
28:14
In other
28:15
words,
28:15
they will
28:15
all
28:16
die.
28:18
Nothing
28:18
will be
28:19
left of
28:19
them,
28:19
nothing
28:20
left of
28:20
their
28:20
works
28:21
or
28:21
anything.
28:22
There's
28:22
nothing
28:22
they can
28:23
do in
28:23
this life
28:24
that will
28:25
permanently
28:26
damage
28:26
us.
28:27
It will
28:28
not affect
28:28
our
28:29
eternity
28:29
with God.
28:32
And Jesus
28:32
picks up on
28:33
this theme
28:33
in Matthew
28:34
10,
28:35
verse 28.
28:35
He says,
28:36
do not
28:37
fear those
28:37
who can
28:38
kill the
28:38
body
28:38
but cannot
28:40
kill the
28:40
soul.
28:42
Rather,
28:42
fear him
28:43
who can
28:43
destroy both
28:44
soul and
28:45
body in
28:46
hell.
28:48
In other
28:48
words,
28:48
fear God
28:50
alone.
28:51
He's picking
28:51
up on this
28:52
Psalm 34
28:53
idea.
28:54
Set aside
28:54
all your
28:55
worldly fears
28:56
in exchange
28:57
for a healthy,
28:58
good fear
28:59
of the
29:00
Lord.
29:00
word.
29:02
Now,
29:03
if you're
29:03
looking for
29:03
additional
29:04
reason or
29:05
encouragement
29:05
to pray this
29:06
week,
29:07
look no
29:07
further than
29:07
verses 15
29:08
and 17.
29:11
As a
29:11
God-fearer,
29:12
a person
29:12
practicing
29:13
righteousness,
29:15
the Lord's
29:16
ear is
29:16
toward your
29:17
cry.
29:18
You have
29:19
his attention.
29:22
And further,
29:22
when you cry
29:23
out to God,
29:24
he will
29:25
hear your
29:25
prayer and
29:26
he will
29:26
save you
29:27
out of all
29:28
your troubles.
29:29
Now,
29:30
this doesn't
29:31
mean he'll
29:31
answer any
29:32
prayer you
29:32
pray,
29:33
right?
29:33
He's not
29:33
going to
29:33
drop a
29:34
Lamborghini
29:34
out of
29:35
heaven.
29:37
That would
29:37
be ridiculous.
29:38
But this
29:39
is a promise
29:40
ultimately that
29:41
God will
29:41
bless you.
29:42
He will
29:43
strengthen
29:43
you to
29:44
endure in
29:44
your
29:45
troubles.
29:47
He will
29:47
eventually
29:47
remove your
29:48
troubles,
29:49
either in
29:50
this life or
29:51
by ending
29:52
your life and
29:52
bringing you
29:53
to heaven.
29:55
All will
29:55
be well
29:57
or blessed.
29:57
it.
29:59
Your prayer
29:59
will be
30:00
answered when
30:01
your prayer
30:02
reflects the
30:03
will of
30:04
God.
30:06
So commit
30:07
yourself to
30:07
prayer and
30:08
pray often,
30:09
pray long,
30:10
pray short,
30:11
pray,
30:12
and God
30:13
will hear
30:13
you and
30:14
answer.
30:17
And there's
30:17
something else
30:18
in these
30:18
verses I do
30:18
not want to
30:19
miss.
30:20
Notice that
30:20
David brings
30:21
up the
30:21
dwelling or
30:22
encamping
30:23
language again
30:24
in verse
30:24
18.
30:25
He says
30:26
the Lord
30:27
is near
30:27
to the
30:28
brokenhearted
30:28
and saves
30:29
the crushed
30:30
in spirit.
30:32
Now by
30:33
itself,
30:34
this may
30:34
not be
30:35
shocking to
30:35
you,
30:36
but I
30:36
found this
30:36
verse a
30:37
little shocking
30:37
in the
30:38
flow of
30:39
the chapter.
30:41
Just
30:41
moments ago
30:42
in verse
30:42
12,
30:43
David is
30:44
assuming we
30:44
want to
30:45
live long
30:46
lives to
30:46
see good.
30:48
And that
30:48
good is
30:48
real in
30:49
this life.
30:51
But here
30:52
he is saying
30:52
that the
30:53
faith community
30:53
is one
30:54
of broken
30:55
hearted
30:56
people.
30:56
People who
30:57
are crushed
30:58
in spirit.
31:01
And we
31:01
might see a
31:02
problem in
31:03
holding these
31:03
two things
31:04
out.
31:05
We want to
31:05
live long
31:06
lives to
31:07
see good
31:07
and yet
31:08
crushed in
31:08
spirit,
31:09
broken
31:10
hearted.
31:11
But David
31:12
has no
31:12
problem talking
31:13
in these
31:14
terms.
31:14
He has no
31:15
problem holding
31:15
both as
31:16
true.
31:18
And again,
31:19
I find this
31:19
so encouraging.
31:21
I find it
31:23
encouraging
31:23
because on
31:24
the one hand
31:25
I do see
31:25
good in
31:26
this life.
31:27
I love my
31:27
family.
31:28
I think about
31:29
my wife and
31:30
daughter all
31:30
the time when
31:31
I'm not with
31:31
them.
31:32
I spent two
31:33
weeks in
31:33
Louisville a
31:34
few weeks
31:34
ago and
31:35
basically spent
31:35
half my time
31:36
looking at
31:37
photos of
31:37
my baby
31:38
girl.
31:40
I love my
31:40
church family.
31:41
I love the
31:42
beauty of
31:42
nature.
31:43
I love
31:44
singing great
31:44
hymns that
31:45
praise God.
31:46
I love sharing
31:46
meals with
31:47
brothers and
31:48
sisters.
31:49
I mean,
31:49
I could go on
31:50
and on about
31:51
good things I
31:52
have seen and
31:53
experienced in
31:54
this life,
31:54
good things that
31:55
I have in
31:56
my life,
31:57
all by God's
31:58
grace and
31:58
kindness,
31:59
all of it
31:59
being so
32:01
good.
32:03
But at the
32:03
same time,
32:04
I feel exactly
32:05
what David is
32:06
talking about,
32:07
right?
32:08
Day to day,
32:08
crushed in
32:09
spirit,
32:09
brokenhearted.
32:12
You know,
32:12
primarily I think
32:13
about this because
32:13
of my own sin,
32:15
right?
32:15
Day to day,
32:16
recognizing that
32:16
I fail to
32:17
honor God
32:18
rightly in so
32:19
many ways,
32:19
in varying
32:20
ways,
32:21
in varying
32:21
degrees.
32:23
Likewise,
32:23
I am broken
32:24
hearted and
32:25
crushed in
32:25
spirit.
32:26
When I look
32:27
at the world
32:27
around us,
32:28
every day it
32:29
just seems like
32:30
everything's
32:31
falling apart
32:32
more and
32:32
more.
32:33
With all of
32:34
creation,
32:34
I'm groaning
32:35
for Christ's
32:37
return.
32:37
So why am I
32:38
encouraged by
32:38
these two
32:39
realities?
32:40
I'm encouraged
32:41
because they
32:41
are normal
32:42
and to be
32:43
expected in
32:44
the Christian
32:45
life.
32:46
I don't know
32:47
about you,
32:47
but whenever I
32:48
feel these things
32:49
in tension
32:49
in my mind,
32:50
in my heart,
32:51
I sometimes
32:51
start to think
32:52
like I'm
32:52
weird or
32:53
something's
32:53
wrong,
32:54
you know,
32:54
that I can
32:55
swing from
32:55
one degree
32:56
to the other
32:56
so quickly
32:57
by the hour.
32:59
But it is
33:00
normal.
33:02
And I'm
33:02
encouraged because
33:03
David and his
33:04
followers felt
33:05
this way,
33:05
thought this
33:06
way, right?
33:06
I'm not the
33:07
only one.
33:09
The same God
33:10
who proved
33:10
faithful,
33:11
able,
33:12
and gracious
33:13
to sustain
33:14
David will
33:15
sustain me
33:16
and he
33:17
will sustain
33:17
all of us
33:19
who believe.
33:22
In fact,
33:22
look at the
33:23
next two
33:23
verses,
33:24
verses 19
33:24
through 20.
33:27
David writes,
33:28
many are the
33:29
afflictions,
33:30
so they're
33:30
real,
33:31
he's recognizing
33:31
them,
33:32
though they're
33:32
small,
33:32
though they're
33:33
brief,
33:34
there they
33:34
are.
33:35
Many are
33:36
the afflictions
33:37
of the
33:37
righteous,
33:39
but the
33:39
Lord delivers
33:40
him out of
33:41
them all.
33:42
He keeps
33:42
all his
33:43
bones,
33:44
not one
33:44
of them
33:44
is broken.
33:47
So though
33:47
there may
33:48
be many
33:48
afflictions
33:49
of many
33:49
kinds
33:50
and many
33:50
degrees,
33:51
the Lord
33:51
delivers us
33:52
out of
33:53
all of
33:54
them.
33:55
Not one
33:55
bone is
33:56
broken,
33:56
meaning he
33:57
keeps us,
33:57
he preserves
33:58
us,
33:58
no one
33:59
and nothing
33:59
can interfere
34:01
with God's
34:02
plan,
34:03
with what
34:03
the Lord
34:04
has in
34:05
store.
34:07
That is
34:07
David's
34:08
teaching,
34:08
fear the
34:09
Lord,
34:09
obey the
34:10
Lord,
34:10
seek the
34:11
Lord,
34:12
and he
34:12
will not
34:13
disappoint.
34:14
So David's
34:16
conclusion,
34:17
verse 21
34:18
through 22,
34:19
he writes
34:20
in verse 21,
34:22
Affliction
34:23
will slay
34:23
the wicked,
34:25
and those
34:26
who hate
34:26
the righteous
34:27
will be
34:28
condemned.
34:29
The Lord
34:30
redeems
34:31
the life
34:31
of his
34:32
servants.
34:33
None of
34:33
those who
34:34
take refuge
34:34
in him
34:35
will be
34:35
condemned.
34:37
So notice
34:38
that shift.
34:39
We believers
34:40
will be
34:40
delivered
34:41
from our
34:42
afflictions,
34:43
while the
34:44
wicked
34:44
will be
34:44
delivered
34:45
to
34:46
affliction.
34:48
God will
34:49
punish the
34:50
ungodly.
34:51
It is only
34:51
a matter
34:52
of time.
34:54
And frankly,
34:55
even now,
34:55
their punishment
34:56
has begun
34:57
to some degree
34:58
because they
34:58
are without
35:00
God.
35:01
They refuse
35:01
to taste
35:02
and see
35:03
his goodness.
35:04
They don't
35:04
even know
35:04
how to
35:05
enjoy this
35:06
life.
35:07
They're
35:07
denying
35:08
themselves
35:08
true delight
35:10
in God
35:10
for false
35:11
delight
35:12
in their
35:13
idols.
35:13
they hate
35:13
God
35:14
and they
35:14
hate
35:14
God's
35:15
people
35:15
and on
35:16
both
35:16
accounts
35:17
they will
35:18
be
35:18
condemned.
35:18
Justice
35:19
will
35:20
reign.
35:22
And I
35:22
think it
35:22
is fitting
35:23
that David
35:24
in this
35:25
circumstance
35:25
where he's
35:26
reflecting on
35:26
such a
35:27
moment,
35:28
right,
35:28
in this
35:28
fleeing of
35:29
Saul,
35:29
this fleeing
35:29
of the
35:30
Philistines
35:30
with his
35:31
men,
35:32
facing
35:32
death,
35:33
facing
35:33
unnecessary
35:34
persecution
35:35
in the
35:35
sense that
35:36
it is
35:36
evil and
35:36
wrong,
35:38
facing all
35:39
these things
35:39
and his
35:39
final thoughts
35:40
are on
35:42
the future,
35:42
on judgment,
35:43
on the
35:43
great day
35:44
in which
35:44
Christ will
35:45
come and
35:47
separate the
35:47
goats from
35:48
the sheep.
35:49
He finds
35:50
comfort in
35:51
knowing that
35:51
I don't have
35:53
to right the
35:53
wrongs,
35:53
there is a
35:54
lawgiver,
35:54
there is a
35:55
judge,
35:55
there is a
35:56
king and
35:56
he is
35:56
coming who
35:58
is able
35:58
and powerful
35:59
to save
36:00
and to
36:00
destroy,
36:01
who will
36:01
bring about
36:02
justice.
36:03
So for
36:06
those who
36:06
have truly
36:07
repented,
36:07
who have
36:08
sought the
36:08
Lord in
36:09
our
36:09
brokenness,
36:10
like David,
36:12
we will
36:12
not be
36:12
condemned,
36:13
we will
36:14
not be
36:14
ashamed,
36:15
but we
36:16
will be
36:16
delivered.
36:17
Let's
36:18
pray.