Latest / Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons / New Year's Day Service 2025

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New Year's Day Service 2025 · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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  A very warm welcome to you all to our service today as we begin a new year. I wish you all
• 0:07
  a very happy new year and may we know the Lord's blessing and his peace and his help in the days
• 0:11
  ! His faithfulness has been towards us and we give thanks for that and we thank him for his faithfulness
• 0:18
  and his mercies that are new each day and so may we know that loving grace he shows towards us continually.
• 0:25
  After the service this morning there's tea and coffee served in the hall so everybody's very
• 0:31
  welcome to come through for that if you're able to and then we have the no other notes it's just
• 0:38
  never just the usual services at the weekend as well there'll be the Gaelic prayer meeting tomorrow
• 0:43
  evening there's no prayer meeting this evening but there will be the Gaelic prayer meeting tomorrow
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  evening. Well we're going to worship by singing to God's praise we're going to sing in Psalm 100
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  the first version of the psalm the tune is old 100 page 362 of the psalm books Psalm 100 the Scottish
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  Psalter version the theme of our worship today is indeed worship set in the Lord before us at the
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  beginning of a new year and this psalm speaks about the nations of the world declaring the glory of God
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  coming to worship him all people that on earth do dwell sing to the Lord with cheerful voice
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  himself with mirth his praise forth tell come ye before him and rejoice we'll sing the whole of the
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  psalm to God's praise
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  all people that on earth do dwell sing to the Lord with cheerful voice
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  praise him and rejoice we'll sing the whole of the psalm to God's praise and the Lord with
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  the Lord with cheerful voice we'll sing the whole of the psalm to God's praise and the Lord with
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  singing the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of the singing of singing of the singing of singing of singing of singing the singing of singing of singing of singing of singing the singing of singing of singing of singing singing of singing of singing singing of singing singing of singing singing of singing singing of singing singing of singing singing of singing singing of singing singing of singing singing singing of singing singing of singing singing singing singing of singing singing singing singing singing singing singing singing
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  For like the Lord our God is good
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  His mercy is forever sure
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  His truth at all times firmly stood
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  And shall come each truly to endure
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  Let's unite our hearts in prayer. Let us pray.
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  Our Father in heaven we gather in your name today at the beginning of a new year
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  thankful for these words that we have sung
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  they remind us that we are not alone in this world
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  but that we join in with a chorus of your people
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  that nations of the world as a new year has begun
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  although many have begun in celebrations that seem to have no thought of you
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  we thank you that you have your people to all ends of the earth
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  who have brought in a new year
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  with a sense of adoration of who you are
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  a sense of praise and worship towards you
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  setting a new year that is before us Lord into your hands
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  and that you would be the one who we begin looking to
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  and the one who goes before us in it
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  the one who knows the beginning and the end
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  as we have been reminded of your word recently
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  you are the alpha and the omega the beginning and the end of all things
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  and we do praise your name oh Lord and thankful that we can come to you
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  and sing to you with a cheerful voice and serve you with all our hearts
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  the psalmist asks the question why
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  why should we praise you in all of these ways
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  and the psalm says the Lord our God is good
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  his mercy is forever sure
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  whose truth at all times firmly stood
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  and shall from age to age endure
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  and as we oh Lord see all that's ahead of us
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  with so much uncertainty
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  we thank you Lord that your truth is with us
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  that you are with us
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  that you are the one who has endured through all generations
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  and the one whose truth endures to us today
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  and going forward as well
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  and we thank you that your truth is light to us
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  that it sheds light on our paths
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  and shows us the ways to go
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  that you direct us by your word and by your spirit
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  and we do pray to know that oh Lord
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  as we go into all that lies ahead of us
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  that we would know your light with us
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  that we would know your mercy with us day by day
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  and we do just praise you this day Lord
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  that you are one who hears us
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  that one who is with us
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  one who hears our cries
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  who hears our prayers
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  who hears our groans
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  who hears all that comes to our lips
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  and even into our hearts
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  and yet you remember us Lord in mercy
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  and so we do praise your name this day
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  help us that our hearts will be filled with worship
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  and praise of you
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  not just for this day but in all the days ahead
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  Lord we know that even as we begin a new year
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  we are so often reminded that there are these highs and lows
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  in our experience that are prepared by you
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  and known unto you even at this point
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  there's nothing hidden from you
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  and Lord as we do seek good upon us
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  we do seek it for all around us
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  for all the people of this world
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  here in our own community Lord
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  we do pray that as we look back and reflect over a year gone by
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  as we do so Lord
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  with much to give thanks for
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  and much thanks for your grace in every circumstance
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  we do look ahead as well Lord
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  asking that your blessing
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  your peace would be over us as a people
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  and we see so much going on around us
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  that seeks to take away from you and your cause
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  we think of our Lord's day
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  and how we treat it
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  and how it's treated by others
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  we do pray that you will guard it in our communities
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  and help us to honour you
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  on that day and every day
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  that all that we would do would be
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  for your glory and for your good
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  teach us Lord that we need you
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  in every way
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  teach us Lord that whatever we do
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  whether we eat or drink
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  it is to be to your glory
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  and we thank you that you have given so much
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  that we should give thanks for
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  even the simple things in life
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  even the air that we breathe
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  and the food that we enjoy
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  the fellowship that we have with one another
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  the family and friends that we have around us
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  the work opportunities
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  the homes
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  our communities as a whole Lord
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  there are so many things that we do take for granted
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  and we just thank you Lord
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  for every day we have to enjoy these things
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  and so may our weeks be filled
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  with praise and delight in you
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  may our weeks and our months
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  that lie before us Lord
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  be times when we see
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  in the midst of the changing seasons
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  of nature as we go through winter
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  as we see the darkness
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  the gales
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  the anxieties that they bring
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  may we see the spring that reminds us
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  of a new growth
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  a newness of life
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  reminding us Lord that you are the one
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  who is able to take from darkness into light
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  and that you are the one
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  who is able to give life
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  even in the midst of
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  such difficult times
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  and we thank you that your gospel
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  is what gives life
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  and we pray that
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  all the seed that has been sown
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  of the gospel over many years
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  here and throughout our lands
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  that it would bear much fruit in our midst
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  we do pray Lord
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  that we would see
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  great summer seasons of harvest
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  that we would see times of
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  great growth and delighting in you
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  and that we would see a great harvest coming
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  of people coming to know the Lord Jesus Christ
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  we thank you that the world in which we live
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  reminds us of the changing seasons
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  in nature but also
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  the seasons that we experience in our lives
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  and even in our church experience too
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  but yet we thank you that you are the one
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  who is building his church
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  and may you oh Lord build
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  throughout our communities
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  and throughout our land
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  throughout the world
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  may your kingdom come in power
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  Lord we do remember so many
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  with different needs today
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  we know that
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  there are those who rejoice in you
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  and those who are sorrowing in you as well
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  we know a new year Lord brings times of reflection
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  times of remembrance
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  times of thanksgiving
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  and times of mourning
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  and we do pray Lord
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  for even those who are coming into the new year
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  in the midst of loss and grief
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  in their own experience
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  and do pray comfort and help
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  and strength towards them
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  pray for those who are unwell
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  and those who have family members
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  who they are concerned for
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  Lord we just commit each one to you
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  thankful for the services
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  that are provided to us
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  in our health care
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  in our homes
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  even with family around us Lord
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  to support us in times of need
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  we do pray Lord
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  blessing and peace
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  towards those in these times of need
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  we do pray Lord
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  for today's of rejoicing as well
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  that we would be glad in you
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  and give thanks to you
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  as we have so often in the past
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  when we've seen
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  even as we think of our own congregation here
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  new members
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  and even this past year
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  as we think of
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  seeing people coming to church
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  and coming under your word
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  in different ways
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  whether it's in services here
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  or on the Friday at the Free
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  the 55 plus
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  the work among our young people
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  we thank you for every opportunity
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  we have to serve you
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  and we just pray blessing
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  upon all of these things
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  that we would see
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  a stirring up in the gospel
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  a telling of
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  your goodness and mercy
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  to those who we come into contact with
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  that the nations and peoples
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  would hear
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  of the wonder of God
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  of the wonder of salvation
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  in Christ Jesus as Lord
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  and we pray that you will help us
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  as a people
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  as a congregation here
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  to be salt and light for you
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  to be a people
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  who worship you
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  first and foremost
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  but also then
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  a reminder of the mission
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  of the church
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  to reach out
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  to those who are
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  in darkness
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  we would bring that gospel hope
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  into the midst of
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  all our people
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  and to all ends of the earth
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  we do remember
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  oh Lord
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  your people
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  far and wide today
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  your church
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  near and far
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  asking that your blessing
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  and the light of the gospel
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  would shine brightly
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  in the midst of our world
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  Lord we do commit
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  ourselves
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  into your hands
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  now that you would be with us
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  in our worship
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  in the singing of your praise
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  in the reading of your word
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  and in all that we do
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  this day
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  and in all our days
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  may it be to your glory
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  hear our prayers
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  Lord
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  and go before us now
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  pardoning us
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  in all our sin
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  that's all we ask
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  we ask in Jesus name
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  Amen
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  so again
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  sing to God's praise
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  we're going to sing
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  in Psalm 145
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  and sing Psalm's version
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  page 189
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  Psalm 145
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  we're going to sing
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  from verse 1
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  to verse 9
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  the tune is
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  even tied
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  I will exalt you
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  O my God and King
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  forever I will praise
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  your holy name
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  I will extol your name
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  forevermore
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  day after day
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  your praise
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  I will proclaim
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  we sing from verse 1
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  to verse 9
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  to God's praise
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  we stand to sing
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  Amen
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  I will exalt you
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  O my God and King
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  forever I will
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  praise your holy name
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  I will extol your name
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  forevermore
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  day after day
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  your praise
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  I will proclaim
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  great is the Lord
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  most worthy of all praise
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  great is the Lord
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  great is the Lord
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  his greatest love
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  can search or comprehend
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  the Lord
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  and the Lord
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  each generation
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  will recapture
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  your deeds
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  and to the next
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  your mighty
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  ask
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  Amen
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  praise the splendor
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  of your majesty
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  the power of the works
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  that you have done
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  I too
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  I too
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  will meditate
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  upon
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  your deeds
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  and
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  your majestic
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  acts
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  I will
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  ignore
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  the Lord
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  will
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  make known
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  they will
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  rejoice
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  Savior
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  may
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  obey
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  and
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  your
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  abundant
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  grace
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  will celebrate
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  the
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  righteousness
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  that
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  will
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  be
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  the
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  the
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  righteousness
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  that
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  you have
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  shown
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  to them
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  in
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  grace
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  and
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  for
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  some
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  they
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  will
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  release
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  the
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  Lord
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  is
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  gracious
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  and
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  compassionate
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  he
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  his
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  soul
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  to
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  anger
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  rich
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  in
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  steadfast
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  love
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  the
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  Lord
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  is
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  good
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  to
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  all
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  that
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  he
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  has
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  made
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  and
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  merciful
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  to
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  all
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  on
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  earth
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  that
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  you
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  we're going
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  to turn to read the word of God together now we're reading in the book of Psalms
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  !
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  Psalm 96
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  Psalm
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  Psalm 96
• 17:29
  you'll find it around page 599 of the church Bibles
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  Psalm 96
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  we can sing the whole
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  of
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  not sing
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  read the whole of this psalm
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  Oh sing to the Lord a new song sing to the Lord all the earth sing to the Lord bless his name tell of his salvation from day to day declare his glory among the nations his marvelous works among all the peoples for great is the
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  Lord and greatly to be praised
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  he is to be feared above all gods for all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols but the Lord made the heavens splendor and majesty are before him strength and beauty are in his sanctuary ascribe to the Lord oh families of the peoples ascribe to the Lord glory and strength ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name bring an offering and come into his name bring an offering and come into his name so
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  Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
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  Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name.
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  Bring an offering and come into his courts.
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  Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.
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  Tremble before him all the earth.
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  Say among the nations, the Lord reigns.
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  Yes, the world is established.
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  It shall never be moved.
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  He will judge the peoples with equity.
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  Let the heavens be glad and let the earth rejoice.
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  Let the sea roar and all that fills it.
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  Let the field exult and everything in it.
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  Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
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  Before the Lord, for he comes.
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  For he comes to judge the earth.
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  He will judge the world in righteousness.
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  And the peoples in his faithfulness.
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  Amen.
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  And may the Lord add his blessing to that reading of his word.
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  Before we come back to look at this psalm together, we're going to sing another psalm.
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  Psalm 98.
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  The Scottish Psalter version.
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  Page 360 of the psalm books.
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  Psalm 98.
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  We'll sing from verse 1 to verse 4.
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  The tune is Argyle.
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  O sing a new song to the Lord for wonders he hath done.
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  His right hand and his holy arm him victory have won.
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  The Lord God, his salvation has caused to be known.
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  His justice in the heathen sight he openly hath shown.
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  We'll sing from verse 1 to 4.
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  We stand to sing to God's praise.
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  Amen.
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  O sing a new song to the Lord, our wonders he hath done.
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  His right and land, his holy ark, in victory he hath won.
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  The Lord God, his salvation hath caused it to be done.
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  His justice in the heaven's sight, he openly hath shown.
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  He bind for all his grace and truth to Israel's touch hath been.
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  And the salvation of our God, all ends of the earth have seen.
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  Let all the earth come to the Lord, send forth the joyful noise.
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  Lift up your voice, bow out to him, sing praises and rejoice.
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  We can turn back to our reading in Psalm 96.
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  I'm just going to look at this psalm for a short time together this afternoon as we come with the theme of worshiping God.
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  We read at the beginning of the psalm,
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  Sing to the Lord a new song, sing to the Lord all the earth.
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  Sing to the Lord, bless his name.
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  Tell of his salvation from day to day.
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  Declare his glory among the nations.
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  Then down at verse 10, verse 9 says,
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  Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.
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  Tremble before him all the earth.
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  Say among the nations, the Lord reigns.
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  There's so much in this psalm that just gives us a focus as we begin a new year.
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  Because as we begin a new year, we often have that sense of examining our lives,
• 23:22
  looking around us, looking within us, and just asking certain questions about what is our main goal even for this coming year.
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  What's your main goal for 2025?
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  Is it to please yourself?
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  Is it to find things in life that bring you joy and happiness that you find in yourself or in things around you?
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  Or is your main goal in 2025, as we begin a new year,
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  to have the Lord set before you and to be looking to him and to please him?
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  Our chief end, as we so often read in the Shorter Catechism, the first question,
• 24:05
  our chief end is to glorify God, to give glory to him and to enjoy him forever.
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  And we find that when that is our chief end, when that is our chief goal in life,
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  that everything else seems to fall into place, everything else seems to come together.
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  And so it's good for us as we begin a new year to begin it with that focus of worship and of praise to God.
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  Worship is key.
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  William Temple was once Archbishop of Canterbury,
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  and he gave a definition of worship as this,
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  as the quickening the conscience by the holiness of God,
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  feeding the mind with the truth of God,
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  purging the imagination by the beauty of God,
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  opening the heart to the love of God,
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  and devoting the will to the purpose of God.
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  It's all-encompassing when it comes to worship.
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  It's not just a little part of our lives.
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  It's not just a part of our lives for a certain day of the week or a time of year.
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  Worship is all-encompassing.
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  Everything that we do should have that aim of being worship to God.
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  And part of our worship is, of course, coming to him in praise,
• 25:26
  coming to him in song.
• 25:29
  And the psalms that we've been singing together already today,
• 25:33
  they are psalms with that focus of a song of praise being offered up to God.
• 25:38
  And the psalm often gives us reasons to worship God.
• 25:42
  And that's going to be our focus together just now as we think of worship.
• 25:48
  We hear the call of worship in this psalm,
• 25:51
  and we see the cause of worship in this psalm.
• 25:56
  And to bring these two things together to help us to have that goal,
• 26:00
  that focus for the year ahead,
• 26:03
  to have that call to always be a people who worship God,
• 26:07
  and to have the cause that we see the reason to worship God.
• 26:11
  And what that reason brings to us then is a desire for others
• 26:15
  to know the wonders of God.
• 26:19
  Bringing in a new year so often is a place where song and music takes part of it.
• 26:25
  I'm sure many of you, maybe yesterday or even today,
• 26:28
  have listened to certain songs or have heard songs being sung,
• 26:33
  whether it's in Gaelic or in English.
• 26:35
  Which so often the new year is brought in in that way,
• 26:38
  with song to the forefront.
• 26:40
  And there's a sense of it being uplifting,
• 26:43
  and a sense of joy in the midst of it.
• 26:46
  But it doesn't always have to be a happy song.
• 26:50
  Sometimes, whether it's in Gaelic or English,
• 26:52
  we hear many songs that are full of emotion,
• 26:55
  that are sadness and sorrows.
• 26:57
  Experiences that people have gone through,
• 26:59
  and stories that are told through song
• 27:02
  that sometimes bring tears to our eyes.
• 27:04
  Other times, it's more uplifting songs,
• 27:07
  songs that fill us with a sense of joy.
• 27:11
  But isn't it good for us to bring in a new year,
• 27:14
  not just focused on the songs of this world,
• 27:17
  but the songs of God,
• 27:19
  and the praise of God.
• 27:22
  And every worship service we have,
• 27:26
  every time we come to worship God,
• 27:29
  there is song in our hearts.
• 27:31
  We come to praise God.
• 27:33
  We come to worship God in that sense of song and joy to the Lord.
• 27:39
  Because if anyone has reason for praise,
• 27:42
  if anyone has reason to sing,
• 27:45
  it is the Christian.
• 27:47
  It is the songs of rejoicing in the goodness of God to us.
• 27:52
  And as we look at the Psalms,
• 27:55
  not just the one before us,
• 27:56
  but as you go through the book of Psalms,
• 27:59
  you find that the Psalms themselves reflect the experience
• 28:02
  that we go through in life.
• 28:05
  They are not just songs that are filled with joy and laughter.
• 28:09
  There is that in them.
• 28:10
  There are times of great delight in the Lord,
• 28:13
  and we thank Him for that.
• 28:14
  But there are songs, too,
• 28:16
  that have the reality of life,
• 28:18
  the struggles in life.
• 28:20
  We have songs of lament,
• 28:22
  as they're called in the Psalms,
• 28:24
  the Psalms of lament,
• 28:26
  that give us a focus when times are difficult,
• 28:29
  and yet we can still sing to the Lord.
• 28:33
  But there are times when we just sing
• 28:35
  of the wonder, the steadfast love of God,
• 28:38
  the mercies of God,
• 28:40
  the wonders of God.
• 28:42
  We've sung in each of the Psalms that we've had today,
• 28:44
  we've sung of that,
• 28:46
  and we see it in this Psalm before us as well,
• 28:49
  Psalm 96.
• 28:51
  It is a Psalm that just brings us to see the wonder of God.
• 28:57
  But the context of Psalm 96
• 28:59
  isn't just standing alone in that sense of
• 29:02
  it's just about joy in the Lord.
• 29:05
  It's closely connected to the Psalm that comes before it,
• 29:08
  Psalm 95.
• 29:09
  They're like two Psalms that just come together.
• 29:13
  And if you read through Psalm 95,
• 29:16
  you see that it's the focus there in this outset
• 29:19
  is song as well.
• 29:20
  O come, let us sing to the Lord.
• 29:22
  Let us make a joyful noise
• 29:24
  to the rock of our salvation.
• 29:27
  So there is song in that one,
• 29:29
  but it's in a slightly different setting.
• 29:32
  Psalm 94 shows almost a time of singing
• 29:37
  in the rejection of God
• 29:39
  in the midst of looking back
• 29:40
  in the experience of God's people.
• 29:44
  You go to the end of the Psalm,
• 29:47
  you see that speaking about the wilderness years,
• 29:51
  the wandering through the wilderness for 40 years,
• 29:54
  the rejection of God.
• 29:56
  And so you see that there is rejection in that Psalm.
• 29:59
  And 96 then is almost like a missional Psalm,
• 30:03
  where it's calling people back to God.
• 30:06
  And in both these experiences, there's song.
• 30:11
  There's a reminder to come to the Lord in song in Psalm 95,
• 30:15
  when we're drifting away from him,
• 30:17
  because it gives us that focus.
• 30:20
  And perhaps at the end of 2024,
• 30:22
  maybe for some people,
• 30:23
  it was a sense of drifting away from God
• 30:26
  or difficult experiences,
• 30:29
  and yet we're called to come to God in song.
• 30:32
  And then coming into a new year,
• 30:34
  it may still be difficult.
• 30:35
  There may still be many trials that we have,
• 30:38
  but we can set the Lord before us
• 30:40
  with that sense of a mission focus
• 30:43
  and a worship focus.
• 30:47
  What's more important for us in 2025?
• 30:52
  Mission or worship?
• 30:54
  It's not a trick question.
• 30:59
  It's maybe a question,
• 31:00
  is there a right answer?
• 31:01
  Do they not both go together?
• 31:03
  But there has to be an order of these things.
• 31:06
  Is mission or worship that's more important for us
• 31:09
  going into 2025?
• 31:13
  Well, John Piper, the American preacher,
• 31:15
  he said this,
• 31:16
  missions is not the ultimate goal of the church.
• 31:21
  Worship is.
• 31:21
  Missions exist because worship doesn't.
• 31:27
  The goal of missions
• 31:28
  is the gladness of the peoples
• 31:30
  in the greatness of God.
• 31:35
  Mission exists because worship doesn't.
• 31:40
  And so therefore,
• 31:41
  we begin with worship.
• 31:44
  We worship the Lord.
• 31:46
  And then from that worship comes that sense of mission
• 31:50
  because we realize that the world in which we live,
• 31:53
  not all people,
• 31:54
  not all nations worship God.
• 31:58
  And so then their mission is
• 31:59
  to make known the wonders of God to others.
• 32:03
  So we are to be worshipers first and foremost.
• 32:09
  People who acknowledge our dependence on God
• 32:12
  and who seek his favor,
• 32:15
  seek his blessings upon us
• 32:17
  and come to rejoice in him.
• 32:21
  And then we say to others,
• 32:22
  come and behold the wonders of our God.
• 32:27
  And so let's begin 2025 with a focus on this psalm.
• 32:32
  And we're going to look at it just under these two headings,
• 32:35
  the call to worship and the cause of worship.
• 32:41
  And so the first thing we see here
• 32:42
  is the call to worship.
• 32:45
  It's no surprise to us
• 32:48
  when Psalm 96,
• 32:50
  among many other psalms,
• 32:52
  begin with these words,
• 32:54
  O sing to the Lord a new song.
• 32:57
  O sing to the Lord.
• 33:00
  The psalms were songs that were to be sung.
• 33:03
  They are songs that are to be sung.
• 33:06
  Songs of praise to God.
• 33:11
  As we mentioned before,
• 33:13
  there are many experiences in this world.
• 33:16
  We see it at New Year
• 33:17
  when people begin a new year with song,
• 33:21
  singing.
• 33:23
  There are certain songs that are always sung
• 33:26
  at this time.
• 33:28
  O lang syne is one.
• 33:30
  And you hear it just comes part of New Year.
• 33:34
  And people will begin a new year
• 33:35
  singing these certain songs.
• 33:39
  But what a difference it is
• 33:41
  is to sing a song to the Lord.
• 33:44
  To sing of the goodness and mercy of God.
• 33:47
  To begin a year looking to Him.
• 33:50
  Whether the difference is,
• 33:52
  the focus is not on ourselves
• 33:54
  or on our circumstances at all times,
• 33:57
  but on the Lord.
• 33:59
  To worship the Lord first and foremost.
• 34:03
  And the opening of this psalm,
• 34:06
  Psalm 96,
• 34:07
  has that focus for us.
• 34:10
  Sing to the Lord.
• 34:13
  And you see,
• 34:14
  sing to the Lord is mentioned
• 34:16
  three times in verse 1 and 2.
• 34:19
  Sing to the Lord is there before us.
• 34:22
  And there's nothing stale,
• 34:24
  there's nothing lilteless in this thing.
• 34:27
  It's a sense of lifting up our voices to God,
• 34:31
  recognizing who He is.
• 34:34
  That we can praise Him.
• 34:37
  And it's the first thing that we see here
• 34:40
  is sing to the Lord a new song.
• 34:43
  It doesn't necessarily mean
• 34:46
  a newly composed song.
• 34:49
  But just a reminder to us
• 34:51
  of the new song that the Lord gives to us.
• 34:55
  The way He changes our tune, as it were.
• 34:59
  The way He gives us something to sing
• 35:02
  in sense of praise to Him.
• 35:05
  That His newness is there for us each day.
• 35:10
  His marshes are new each day.
• 35:12
  You know, as we begin a new year just now,
• 35:14
  it's not just singing a song
• 35:16
  that we've sung a hundred, a thousand,
• 35:19
  a million times in the past.
• 35:20
  It doesn't matter how many times you've sung it,
• 35:23
  there's still a sense of newness to it.
• 35:26
  Sing to the Lord a new song
• 35:28
  because our circumstances are new.
• 35:31
  Our day is new.
• 35:32
  Our year is new.
• 35:34
  There is a newness in this song
• 35:36
  that it doesn't lose its appetite.
• 35:38
  It doesn't lose its sense of joy and wonder.
• 35:43
  But when we're singing to the Lord,
• 35:45
  there's that sense that it's new every time.
• 35:48
  Because we thank Him for each new day.
• 35:50
  We thank Him for each new year.
• 35:52
  We thank Him for each moment of grace
• 35:54
  that He gives to us.
• 35:57
  Similar to Psalm 40
• 36:00
  that speaks of how He puts a new song
• 36:03
  in our mouth,
• 36:05
  a song of praise to God.
• 36:08
  It is the Lord
• 36:09
  that gives us that reason to sing,
• 36:12
  that new song
• 36:13
  that we are able to sing to Him.
• 36:17
  And so today,
• 36:18
  it's not an old song we're going back to.
• 36:21
  It's one that's fresh
• 36:23
  and one that's new for us today
• 36:25
  because we sing it anew.
• 36:27
  We sing it together.
• 36:28
  And maybe for some,
• 36:29
  it's singing with a new sense of delight,
• 36:32
  a new sense of joy,
• 36:35
  a new sense of thanksgiving,
• 36:37
  that the Lord opens our eyes
• 36:39
  to see how precious He is.
• 36:43
  Sing to the Lord a new song.
• 36:48
  Remember when the Lord was working
• 36:50
  in my own life,
• 36:52
  how the singing of His praise
• 36:56
  started to have a new voice to me,
• 37:00
  something that was new in it.
• 37:02
  And it was a strange place
• 37:04
  maybe to experience it,
• 37:05
  but it was standing outside
• 37:07
  the meeting house in Tolstachilish.
• 37:10
  It was at a wake
• 37:11
  on a summer's night.
• 37:14
  And there were so many
• 37:15
  in attendance at the wake.
• 37:16
  It's not a big meeting house
• 37:18
  that some were standing outside.
• 37:20
  And I was one of those
• 37:21
  who was standing outside.
• 37:24
  The Lord was maybe starting
• 37:25
  to stir in my heart,
• 37:27
  but I had no interest going there
• 37:28
  that I was there to praise God
• 37:30
  or to listen to His praise,
• 37:32
  standing outside just talking to others.
• 37:35
  But when the worship started,
• 37:37
  when the singing started,
• 37:38
  and it was coming out of the building,
• 37:40
  the door was open,
• 37:42
  and it was a glorious,
• 37:43
  still summer's evening,
• 37:44
  and the wonder of that praise
• 37:47
  just spoke.
• 37:49
  That there was something
• 37:50
  in these words,
• 37:51
  something in this singing
• 37:52
  that wasn't natural.
• 37:55
  There was a power behind it.
• 37:57
  There was a newness in it.
• 37:59
  And that's the new song
• 38:01
  that the Lord so often brings to us.
• 38:04
  When He starts to open our ears
• 38:06
  to hear the wonder of who He is,
• 38:09
  the new song that He is able to give us.
• 38:12
  And wouldn't it be wonderful
• 38:13
  if for all of us,
• 38:14
  in a sense,
• 38:15
  that new beginning this year
• 38:17
  would be with a new song,
• 38:19
  the Lord speaking to us
• 38:21
  in that powerful way.
• 38:25
  The second thing we see here,
• 38:27
  the second singing is,
• 38:29
  sing to the Lord all the earth.
• 38:33
  That there is a song for everyone.
• 38:36
  There is a song that leaves nobody out.
• 38:38
  It's a song here of the praise of God
• 38:42
  that is for the whole of the world.
• 38:46
  There is no one who is not worthy
• 38:48
  to praise God.
• 38:51
  There is no one who is unworthy
• 38:53
  of coming to sing praise to God.
• 38:56
  There is no circumstance
• 38:57
  that we find ourselves in
• 38:59
  where God cannot be praised.
• 39:03
  to sing all the earth
• 39:06
  is for everyone
• 39:07
  and in every experience.
• 39:11
  We sing a new song
• 39:13
  because of the song
• 39:15
  that Christ gives to us
• 39:17
  in our hearts.
• 39:18
  When we recognize
• 39:19
  who our Savior is,
• 39:21
  when we realize
• 39:22
  what has been done for us
• 39:24
  through Jesus Christ,
• 39:26
  for the whole world.
• 39:27
  For God so loved the world
• 39:31
  that he gave his only Son.
• 39:35
  There is an opportunity
• 39:37
  for all to praise God.
• 39:40
  That while we have this day,
• 39:43
  while we have this moment,
• 39:46
  as you go back to Psalm 95
• 39:47
  and the end of verse 7,
• 39:49
  today, if you hear his voice,
• 39:52
  do not harden your hearts
• 39:53
  as at Meribah.
• 39:54
  Do not harden your hearts
• 39:57
  as those who did in the past,
• 39:59
  but today, hear his voice.
• 40:03
  Today, sing to the Lord
• 40:05
  all the earth.
• 40:08
  There is a song here
• 40:09
  for everyone.
• 40:11
  Like I say,
• 40:11
  in every circumstance.
• 40:14
  One of my favorite psalms
• 40:15
  is Psalm 73.
• 40:18
  It's a psalm you can go to
• 40:20
  because you see there
• 40:21
  the honesty of the psalmist.
• 40:22
  When there is trouble
• 40:25
  all around him,
• 40:26
  he's not afraid
• 40:27
  to come to God
• 40:28
  with that trouble,
• 40:30
  and yet he sees himself
• 40:31
  as a beast, as it were,
• 40:33
  before the Lord.
• 40:35
  He's angry almost
• 40:37
  towards him,
• 40:38
  and yet there's this
• 40:38
  turning point in the psalm
• 40:40
  in verse 23,
• 40:41
  Psalm 73,
• 40:42
  verse 23,
• 40:43
  where he says,
• 40:44
  Nevertheless,
• 40:44
  I am continually
• 40:48
  with you.
• 40:50
  You hold me
• 40:51
  by my right hand.
• 40:53
  You guide me.
• 40:55
  And then you see
• 40:55
  the longing
• 40:56
  in the psalms,
• 40:57
  Whom have I in the heavens?
• 40:59
  But you, O Lord,
• 41:00
  alone.
• 41:02
  So there is this wonder
• 41:04
  of a song
• 41:05
  for everyone.
• 41:07
  Everyone of us,
• 41:08
  whether we're sitting in here,
• 41:09
  whether we're tuning in online,
• 41:10
  the Lord is there
• 41:12
  to be praised
• 41:13
  and to be sung about
• 41:15
  all the earth.
• 41:18
  Then you see
• 41:19
  there's the third,
• 41:20
  Sing to the Lord,
• 41:21
  in verse 2 there.
• 41:23
  Sing to the Lord,
• 41:24
  bless his name,
• 41:25
  tell of his salvation
• 41:27
  from day to day.
• 41:30
  There is so much
• 41:32
  to sing about.
• 41:34
  And this is not just
• 41:35
  for one day,
• 41:36
  it's every day.
• 41:38
  Sing of his salvation
• 41:41
  from day to day.
• 41:44
  We can begin
• 41:45
  every new day
• 41:46
  rejoicing in the salvation
• 41:49
  that God gives.
• 41:51
  As we have that focus,
• 41:54
  we have that call
• 41:55
  to worship,
• 41:56
  we see we are a people
• 41:58
  who are to praise.
• 42:01
  When we come
• 42:02
  into the presence of God,
• 42:04
  when we come
• 42:05
  to worship him,
• 42:07
  we see
• 42:08
  all that we have
• 42:10
  through God.
• 42:13
  His salvation
• 42:14
  is there
• 42:15
  before us all.
• 42:17
  Even today,
• 42:19
  as we begin
• 42:19
  a new year,
• 42:20
  just with that sense
• 42:21
  of focus,
• 42:22
  not on ourselves,
• 42:25
  but on the Lord.
• 42:26
  The Lord
• 42:27
  and the salvation
• 42:28
  that he has given
• 42:29
  for his people.
• 42:31
  The salvation
• 42:32
  that there is
• 42:33
  in Christ
• 42:34
  alone.
• 42:35
  so we can begin
• 42:37
  by praising
• 42:39
  him.
• 42:40
  We have
• 42:41
  a call
• 42:42
  to worship.
• 42:45
  Psalm 96,
• 42:46
  in some ways
• 42:47
  you could call it
• 42:48
  a golden oldie.
• 42:50
  It's one we can
• 42:51
  go to again
• 42:52
  and again.
• 42:54
  But still today,
• 42:55
  it's a new song.
• 42:57
  It's a new song
• 42:59
  for us
• 42:59
  to come
• 43:00
  and praise him.
• 43:02
  It's a call
• 43:02
  for us
• 43:03
  to worship him
• 43:04
  as we begin
• 43:05
  a new year.
• 43:06
  As we set
• 43:07
  the year ahead
• 43:08
  before us,
• 43:10
  we begin
• 43:10
  with a call
• 43:11
  to worship.
• 43:14
  The second thing
• 43:15
  we see here
• 43:16
  in this psalm
• 43:17
  is the cause
• 43:18
  of worship.
• 43:19
  The natural
• 43:24
  question
• 43:25
  that comes
• 43:26
  from
• 43:26
  a call
• 43:27
  to worship
• 43:28
  as we are
• 43:29
  asked to come
• 43:30
  and worship
• 43:31
  God
• 43:32
  is
• 43:32
  why?
• 43:34
  Why
• 43:35
  should we
• 43:36
  worship God?
• 43:38
  Psalm 73
• 43:39
  gave us
• 43:40
  part of that
• 43:41
  answer.
• 43:42
  Nevertheless,
• 43:43
  continually,
• 43:44
  O Lord,
• 43:45
  I am with thee.
• 43:45
  You're the one
• 43:46
  who holds me
• 43:47
  by my right hand.
• 43:48
  And there
• 43:49
  is a reason,
• 43:50
  a cause
• 43:51
  for worship.
• 43:53
  And so,
• 43:53
  so often
• 43:54
  in the psalms
• 43:55
  you find
• 43:55
  not just
• 43:56
  a call
• 43:57
  to worship,
• 43:58
  but the psalms
• 43:59
  they give us
• 44:00
  the cause
• 44:01
  of worship.
• 44:03
  You see that
• 44:04
  in the psalms
• 44:04
  that we've sung
• 44:05
  already today.
• 44:06
  There's that sense
• 44:07
  of coming
• 44:08
  before the Lord
• 44:10
  with great joy
• 44:12
  and worship
• 44:12
  and praise
• 44:13
  to him.
• 44:14
  But you see it
• 44:15
  in Psalm 95
• 44:16
  there,
• 44:17
  verse 3.
• 44:17
  there's a call
• 44:19
  to come
• 44:19
  and worship
• 44:20
  God.
• 44:21
  But then
• 44:21
  verse 3 is
• 44:21
  for the Lord
• 44:22
  is a great
• 44:23
  God
• 44:24
  and a great
• 44:25
  king
• 44:26
  above
• 44:26
  all gods.
• 44:28
  There is
• 44:28
  cause
• 44:29
  to worship.
• 44:32
  And we see
• 44:33
  the same
• 44:34
  here in
• 44:35
  Psalm 96
• 44:35
  as well.
• 44:37
  Declare his
• 44:37
  glory among
• 44:38
  the nations,
• 44:39
  his marvelous
• 44:40
  works among
• 44:41
  all the peoples.
• 44:43
  For great
• 44:44
  is the Lord
• 44:45
  and greatly
• 44:46
  to be praised.
• 44:47
  He is to be
• 44:48
  feared
• 44:48
  above
• 44:50
  all gods.
• 44:52
  Splendor
• 44:53
  and majesty
• 44:54
  are before him.
• 44:55
  Strength
• 44:55
  and beauty
• 44:56
  are in his
• 44:58
  sanctuary.
• 44:58
  There is
• 44:59
  cause
• 44:59
  to worship
• 45:01
  God.
• 45:03
  And so
• 45:03
  if we ask
• 45:04
  the question
• 45:05
  come
• 45:06
  and worship
• 45:07
  God
• 45:07
  and the people
• 45:08
  ask why
• 45:09
  even as they
• 45:11
  did in the
• 45:11
  day of the
• 45:12
  psalmist
• 45:12
  even as they
• 45:13
  do in our
• 45:14
  own day
• 45:14
  why
• 45:14
  should we
• 45:15
  worship
• 45:16
  God?
• 45:17
  Well here
• 45:17
  we have a
• 45:18
  response
• 45:19
  for great
• 45:19
  is the
• 45:20
  Lord
• 45:21
  and greatly
• 45:22
  to be
• 45:23
  praised.
• 45:25
  You see
• 45:25
  the people
• 45:26
  here
• 45:26
  as the
• 45:28
  psalmist
• 45:28
  is speaking
• 45:29
  of they
• 45:29
  had a
• 45:29
  problem
• 45:30
  and it's
• 45:31
  not a
• 45:32
  new
• 45:33
  problem
• 45:33
  it's not
• 45:34
  a problem
• 45:34
  that's
• 45:35
  gone
• 45:35
  away.
• 45:37
  What
• 45:37
  was their
• 45:38
  problem
• 45:39
  what's
• 45:39
  the problem
• 45:40
  for so
• 45:41
  many of
• 45:41
  us
• 45:41
  today?
• 45:42
  Well we
• 45:43
  see it
• 45:43
  in verse
• 45:44
  5.
• 45:45
  For all
• 45:46
  the gods
• 45:46
  of the
• 45:47
  peoples
• 45:47
  are
• 45:48
  worthless
• 45:49
  idols.
• 45:51
  The
• 45:51
  people
• 45:51
  have
• 45:52
  other
• 45:52
  things
• 45:53
  they
• 45:53
  put
• 45:53
  in
• 45:54
  place
• 45:54
  of
• 45:55
  God.
• 45:56
  So
• 45:56
  many
• 45:57
  begin
• 45:57
  the
• 45:57
  year
• 45:58
  with
• 45:58
  no
• 45:59
  thought
• 45:59
  of
• 46:00
  God
• 46:00
  but
• 46:01
  worshipping
• 46:02
  the idols
• 46:02
  of this
• 46:04
  world
• 46:04
  self-made
• 46:06
  idols.
• 46:08
  they
• 46:09
  are
• 46:10
  worthless.
• 46:11
  That's
• 46:12
  what the
• 46:12
  psalmist
• 46:13
  says.
• 46:15
  They
• 46:15
  feared
• 46:15
  their
• 46:16
  gods.
• 46:18
  It
• 46:18
  wasn't a
• 46:19
  new
• 46:19
  thing.
• 46:19
  You
• 46:19
  see it
• 46:20
  running
• 46:20
  throughout
• 46:21
  the
• 46:21
  scriptures
• 46:22
  where
• 46:22
  people
• 46:22
  have
• 46:23
  their
• 46:23
  own
• 46:24
  gods
• 46:24
  and
• 46:25
  they
• 46:26
  would
• 46:26
  seek
• 46:26
  to
• 46:26
  satisfy
• 46:27
  their
• 46:28
  gods
• 46:28
  offer
• 46:29
  sacrifices
• 46:30
  to
• 46:30
  their
• 46:30
  gods
• 46:31
  in
• 46:31
  the
• 46:32
  hope
• 46:32
  of
• 46:32
  harvests
• 46:33
  of
• 46:33
  health
• 46:34
  of
• 46:34
  victories
• 46:35
  and
• 46:35
  battles
• 46:36
  of
• 46:36
  all
• 46:37
  kinds
• 46:37
  of
• 46:37
  things
• 46:37
  who
• 46:38
  would
• 46:38
  come
• 46:38
  and
• 46:39
  worship
• 46:39
  their
• 46:40
  gods
• 46:40
  in
• 46:42
  the
• 46:42
  hope
• 46:42
  that
• 46:42
  they
• 46:43
  would
• 46:43
  cause
• 46:44
  things
• 46:44
  to
• 46:44
  go
• 46:45
  well
• 46:45
  for
• 46:46
  them.
• 46:48
  But
• 46:48
  it
• 46:49
  wasn't
• 46:49
  the
• 46:49
  case
• 46:50
  and
• 46:52
  it
• 46:52
  will
• 46:52
  not
• 46:52
  be
• 46:52
  the
• 46:53
  case
• 46:53
  for
• 46:54
  us
• 46:54
  as
• 46:55
  well.
• 46:57
  We
• 46:57
  are not
• 46:58
  to
• 46:58
  look
• 46:58
  to
• 46:58
  the
• 46:58
  worthless
• 46:59
  idols
• 46:59
  of
• 47:00
  this
• 47:01
  world.
• 47:02
  Where
• 47:02
  does
• 47:03
  our
• 47:03
  help
• 47:03
  come
• 47:04
  from
• 47:04
  as
• 47:05
  we
• 47:05
  go
• 47:05
  into
• 47:05
  a
• 47:06
  new
• 47:06
  year?
• 47:07
  James
• 47:08
  in the
• 47:08
  New
• 47:09
  Testament
• 47:09
  speaks
• 47:10
  of it
• 47:10
  in this
• 47:10
  way.
• 47:11
  He
• 47:11
  reminds us
• 47:12
  where our
• 47:12
  help
• 47:13
  comes
• 47:13
  from.
• 47:13
  Every
• 47:13
  good
• 47:14
  gift,
• 47:14
  every
• 47:15
  perfect
• 47:15
  gift,
• 47:16
  it
• 47:16
  comes
• 47:16
  from
• 47:17
  above,
• 47:18
  coming
• 47:18
  down
• 47:19
  from
• 47:19
  the
• 47:19
  Father
• 47:19
  of
• 47:20
  light
• 47:20
  with
• 47:20
  whom
• 47:20
  there
• 47:21
  is
• 47:21
  no
• 47:21
  variation
• 47:22
  of
• 47:22
  shadow
• 47:23
  due
• 47:23
  to
• 47:23
  change,
• 47:25
  the
• 47:25
  one
• 47:26
  who
• 47:26
  doesn't
• 47:27
  change.
• 47:30
  The
• 47:30
  psalmist
• 47:31
  here is
• 47:31
  pointing us
• 47:32
  towards
• 47:32
  the
• 47:33
  true
• 47:33
  God.
• 47:34
  God
• 47:34
  but
• 47:36
  the
• 47:36
  Lord,
• 47:36
  he
• 47:37
  says,
• 47:37
  he
• 47:38
  made
• 47:38
  the
• 47:38
  heavens.
• 47:40
  He
• 47:40
  created
• 47:40
  all
• 47:41
  things.
• 47:41
  He
• 47:41
  made
• 47:42
  all
• 47:42
  things
• 47:42
  for
• 47:43
  his
• 47:43
  glory.
• 47:44
  He
• 47:44
  has
• 47:44
  made
• 47:44
  us
• 47:45
  with
• 47:45
  that
• 47:46
  purpose,
• 47:46
  with
• 47:47
  that
• 47:47
  cause
• 47:47
  in
• 47:48
  our
• 47:48
  hearts
• 47:49
  as well
• 47:49
  to be
• 47:50
  a
• 47:50
  people
• 47:50
  who
• 47:51
  worship
• 47:51
  him.
• 47:53
  And
• 47:53
  it's
• 47:53
  because
• 47:54
  splendor
• 47:55
  and
• 47:55
  majesty,
• 47:55
  all
• 47:56
  of
• 47:56
  these
• 47:56
  things,
• 47:57
  strength
• 47:57
  and
• 47:58
  beauty,
• 47:58
  they
• 47:58
  all
• 47:59
  belong
• 48:00
  to
• 48:00
  him.
• 48:01
  And
• 48:03
  you
• 48:03
  see it
• 48:03
  there
• 48:03
  in
• 48:03
  verse
• 48:04
  three
• 48:04
  as well.
• 48:05
  Declare
• 48:05
  his
• 48:05
  glory
• 48:06
  among
• 48:06
  the
• 48:06
  nations.
• 48:07
  His
• 48:07
  marvelous
• 48:08
  works
• 48:09
  among
• 48:09
  all
• 48:10
  the
• 48:10
  peoples.
• 48:11
  His
• 48:11
  marvelous
• 48:12
  works.
• 48:13
  Reasons
• 48:14
  cause
• 48:15
  to
• 48:15
  worship.
• 48:16
  His
• 48:16
  marvelous
• 48:17
  works.
• 48:18
  Have
• 48:18
  you
• 48:18
  seen
• 48:19
  his
• 48:20
  marvelous
• 48:20
  works?
• 48:22
  You
• 48:22
  have.
• 48:24
  We
• 48:24
  all
• 48:24
  have.
• 48:25
  We've
• 48:26
  seen
• 48:26
  it
• 48:26
  in
• 48:27
  so
• 48:27
  many
• 48:27
  different
• 48:28
  ways.
• 48:29
  You
• 48:30
  see it
• 48:30
  in so
• 48:30
  many
• 48:30
  different
• 48:31
  situations.
• 48:33
  Even
• 48:33
  the
• 48:33
  little
• 48:34
  things.
• 48:35
  Little
• 48:36
  things that
• 48:36
  make you
• 48:36
  just look
• 48:37
  and wonder
• 48:38
  at the
• 48:38
  amazing
• 48:39
  wonders.
• 48:41
  But do
• 48:41
  you recognize
• 48:42
  it's of
• 48:42
  God?
• 48:44
  You
• 48:44
  think of
• 48:45
  a
• 48:45
  spider's
• 48:46
  web.
• 48:47
  And you
• 48:48
  see it
• 48:48
  with just
• 48:49
  a little
• 48:49
  mist
• 48:50
  on it.
• 48:51
  And the
• 48:51
  sun
• 48:51
  starting to
• 48:52
  shine
• 48:52
  through.
• 48:53
  And you
• 48:53
  see the
• 48:54
  intricacy
• 48:54
  of it.
• 48:56
  The
• 48:56
  wonder
• 48:56
  of it.
• 48:58
  The
• 48:58
  wonder
• 48:58
  of God's
• 48:59
  creation.
• 49:00
  You
• 49:00
  think of
• 49:00
  a
• 49:01
  snowflake.
• 49:02
  How
• 49:03
  everyone
• 49:03
  is
• 49:04
  different.
• 49:05
  And if
• 49:05
  you look
• 49:06
  at it
• 49:06
  closely,
• 49:06
  even if
• 49:07
  you go
• 49:07
  under a
• 49:07
  microscope
• 49:08
  and look
• 49:08
  at it,
• 49:09
  you see
• 49:09
  the
• 49:09
  details
• 49:10
  in it.
• 49:12
  You
• 49:12
  think of
• 49:13
  the
• 49:14
  flowers.
• 49:14
  You
• 49:14
  think of
• 49:15
  the
• 49:15
  wonder
• 49:16
  of the
• 49:16
  sky.
• 49:17
  The
• 49:18
  sky at
• 49:18
  night
• 49:18
  with the
• 49:19
  moon
• 49:19
  and the
• 49:19
  stars.
• 49:21
  The
• 49:22
  enormity
• 49:23
  of it.
• 49:24
  The
• 49:25
  wonder
• 49:25
  of God's
• 49:26
  creation.
• 49:26
  You
• 49:26
  look at
• 49:27
  yourself.
• 49:27
  ourselves.
• 49:28
  We
• 49:29
  look at
• 49:29
  ourselves
• 49:29
  and we
• 49:30
  see the
• 49:30
  intricacies
• 49:31
  of our
• 49:31
  bodies.
• 49:32
  How
• 49:32
  fearfully
• 49:33
  and
• 49:33
  wonderfully
• 49:34
  we
• 49:34
  are
• 49:34
  made.
• 49:36
  And
• 49:36
  these
• 49:36
  are
• 49:37
  the
• 49:37
  wonders
• 49:37
  of
• 49:38
  God.
• 49:40
  And
• 49:40
  then you
• 49:40
  look at
• 49:41
  the
• 49:41
  God
• 49:42
  who made
• 49:42
  the heavens
• 49:43
  and the
• 49:43
  earth,
• 49:43
  the one
• 49:44
  who is
• 49:44
  behind
• 49:44
  all of
• 49:45
  these
• 49:45
  things and
• 49:46
  the power
• 49:46
  that he
• 49:47
  has.
• 49:47
  and the
• 49:49
  wonder
• 49:49
  that he
• 49:50
  would
• 49:51
  remember
• 49:51
  us.
• 49:53
  The
• 49:54
  wonder
• 49:54
  that he
• 49:55
  would
• 49:55
  promise
• 49:55
  to be
• 49:56
  with us.
• 49:58
  The
• 49:58
  promise
• 49:59
  that he
• 49:59
  will never
• 49:59
  leave us
• 50:00
  or forsake
• 50:01
  us.
• 50:03
  And the
• 50:03
  wonder
• 50:03
  of his
• 50:04
  grace
• 50:04
  and his
• 50:05
  mercy.
• 50:07
  The
• 50:07
  wonder
• 50:07
  of his
• 50:09
  salvation
• 50:09
  for sinners.
• 50:11
  The
• 50:12
  wonder
• 50:12
  of the
• 50:13
  cross.
• 50:15
  The
• 50:15
  wonder
• 50:16
  of what
• 50:17
  he has
• 50:17
  done
• 50:17
  for us
• 50:18
  there.
• 50:20
  As his
• 50:20
  son,
• 50:21
  our
• 50:21
  Lord,
• 50:23
  gave his
• 50:23
  life
• 50:24
  for us.
• 50:26
  The
• 50:26
  wonder
• 50:26
  of God.
• 50:29
  The
• 50:29
  wonders
• 50:30
  that he
• 50:31
  has done.
• 50:33
  Are they
• 50:33
  not cause
• 50:34
  for worship?
• 50:37
  Are they
• 50:37
  not cause
• 50:38
  to come
• 50:39
  and sing
• 50:40
  with praise
• 50:41
  to him
• 50:42
  the wonders
• 50:43
  that he
• 50:44
  has done?
• 50:46
  And if
• 50:47
  we see
• 50:48
  the wonders
• 50:49
  that he
• 50:50
  has done
• 50:50
  for us,
• 50:53
  the cause
• 50:54
  that we
• 50:54
  have to
• 50:55
  worship
• 50:55
  in that,
• 50:57
  does it
• 50:57
  not then
• 50:58
  lead our
• 50:58
  hearts
• 50:59
  to the
• 51:00
  cause
• 51:01
  of telling
• 51:02
  others?
• 51:03
  You see
• 51:04
  that run
• 51:04
  through this
• 51:05
  psalm
• 51:06
  as well.
• 51:07
  There in
• 51:08
  verse 3
• 51:08
  it says
• 51:09
  to us
• 51:09
  declare
• 51:10
  his glory
• 51:11
  among the
• 51:12
  nations,
• 51:12
  his marvelous
• 51:13
  work,
• 51:14
  the wonders
• 51:14
  that he
• 51:15
  has done.
• 51:17
  In
• 51:17
  verse
• 51:18
  10 it
• 51:19
  says the
• 51:19
  same thing,
• 51:20
  say among
• 51:21
  the nations,
• 51:22
  the Lord
• 51:23
  reigns.
• 51:25
  He is
• 51:25
  king.
• 51:26
  He is
• 51:27
  king over
• 51:28
  all.
• 51:31
  The wonders
• 51:32
  that God
• 51:33
  has done
• 51:34
  for us,
• 51:36
  they are
• 51:36
  the cause
• 51:37
  of our
• 51:38
  worship,
• 51:39
  and they
• 51:40
  are the
• 51:40
  cause
• 51:41
  to our
• 51:42
  mission
• 51:42
  as well
• 51:43
  to tell
• 51:44
  others.
• 51:46
  Missions
• 51:47
  exist
• 51:49
  because
• 51:50
  worship
• 51:50
  doesn't.
• 51:52
  And while
• 51:53
  there is
• 51:54
  no worship
• 51:55
  in the
• 51:55
  lives of
• 51:56
  those around
• 51:57
  us,
• 51:57
  it is our
• 51:58
  mission
• 51:58
  to make
• 51:59
  known
• 51:59
  the wonders
• 52:00
  of the
• 52:01
  Lord.
• 52:02
  And what
• 52:03
  greater way
• 52:03
  to make
• 52:04
  it known
• 52:04
  than to
• 52:06
  worship
• 52:06
  the Lord,
• 52:08
  to sing
• 52:08
  to the
• 52:09
  Lord.
• 52:11
  Somebody
• 52:12
  once said
• 52:12
  you cannot
• 52:13
  worship
• 52:13
  God as
• 52:14
  you ought
• 52:14
  until you
• 52:15
  know him
• 52:16
  as he
• 52:17
  is.
• 52:19
  And you
• 52:19
  cannot know
• 52:20
  the true
• 52:20
  God
• 52:21
  until you
• 52:22
  know him
• 52:22
  in his
• 52:23
  benefits.
• 52:26
  And you
• 52:26
  do not
• 52:27
  know him
• 52:27
  in his
• 52:27
  benefits
• 52:28
  until you
• 52:29
  know him
• 52:30
  in the
• 52:30
  sacrifice
• 52:31
  of his
• 52:32
  son,
• 52:33
  Jesus
• 52:33
  Christ,
• 52:34
  who died
• 52:35
  in our
• 52:36
  place,
• 52:37
  that we
• 52:37
  might become
• 52:38
  the
• 52:38
  righteousness
• 52:39
  of God
• 52:39
  in him.
• 52:43
  Our
• 52:43
  mission
• 52:43
  begins
• 52:45
  with
• 52:46
  worship
• 52:46
  and
• 52:48
  worshiping
• 52:48
  the
• 52:49
  Lord
• 52:50
  in the
• 52:50
  splendor
• 52:51
  of
• 52:52
  holiness
• 52:52
  and
• 52:54
  recognizing
• 52:54
  what he
• 52:56
  has done
• 52:56
  for us.
• 52:59
  He has
• 53:00
  given us
• 53:00
  a new
• 53:02
  day.
• 53:03
  He has
• 53:03
  given us
• 53:04
  a new
• 53:05
  year,
• 53:07
  a time
• 53:08
  and a
• 53:08
  place
• 53:09
  and a
• 53:09
  people,
• 53:11
  to be
• 53:11
  a people
• 53:12
  of worship
• 53:12
  to him.
• 53:15
  So what
• 53:15
  is our
• 53:16
  goal as
• 53:17
  we go
• 53:17
  into
• 53:18
  2025?
• 53:20
  To
• 53:21
  please
• 53:21
  ourselves
• 53:22
  or to
• 53:23
  please
• 53:24
  him.
• 53:26
  May it
• 53:26
  be that
• 53:27
  we please
• 53:27
  him
• 53:28
  and do
• 53:29
  so by
• 53:30
  worshiping
• 53:31
  him
• 53:32
  in the
• 53:33
  right way,
• 53:34
  by giving
• 53:35
  all praise
• 53:36
  and glory
• 53:37
  to him.
• 53:39
  We have
• 53:40
  a call
• 53:41
  to this
• 53:42
  and we
• 53:43
  have a
• 53:44
  cause
• 53:44
  for this.
• 53:46
  It is
• 53:47
  the
• 53:47
  Lord.
• 53:49
  I'll leave
• 53:50
  you with
• 53:50
  these words
• 53:51
  as we
• 53:53
  think of
• 53:53
  what we
• 53:54
  do for
• 53:55
  ourselves
• 53:55
  or what
• 53:56
  we do
• 53:57
  for the
• 53:57
  Lord.
• 53:59
  Dear
• 54:00
  Master,
• 54:00
  for this
• 54:01
  coming
• 54:01
  year,
• 54:02
  just one
• 54:03
  request
• 54:04
  I bring.
• 54:05
  I do
• 54:06
  not pray
• 54:06
  for happiness
• 54:07
  or any
• 54:08
  earthly
• 54:09
  thing.
• 54:10
  I do
• 54:10
  not ask
• 54:11
  to understand
• 54:12
  the way
• 54:13
  thou leadest
• 54:14
  me,
• 54:15
  but this
• 54:15
  I ask,
• 54:16
  teach me
• 54:17
  to do
• 54:17
  the thing
• 54:18
  that pleaseth
• 54:19
  thee.
• 54:21
  I want
• 54:21
  to know
• 54:22
  thy guiding
• 54:22
  voice,
• 54:23
  to walk
• 54:24
  with thee
• 54:24
  each day.
• 54:26
  Dear
• 54:26
  Master,
• 54:27
  make me
• 54:27
  swift
• 54:28
  to hear
• 54:28
  and ready
• 54:30
  to obey.
• 54:31
  And thus
• 54:32
  the year
• 54:33
  I now
• 54:33
  begin,
• 54:34
  a happy
• 54:35
  year will
• 54:35
  be,
• 54:36
  if I am
• 54:37
  seeking
• 54:37
  just to
• 54:38
  do
• 54:38
  the thing
• 54:40
  that
• 54:40
  pleaseth
• 54:41
  thee.
• 54:42
  What
• 54:43
  pleases
• 54:43
  the Lord
• 54:44
  more than
• 54:45
  worshipping
• 54:46
  him and
• 54:48
  setting him
• 54:48
  before us
• 54:50
  in all
• 54:51
  things and
• 54:52
  above
• 54:53
  all things?
• 54:55
  The Lord
• 54:56
  is worthy
• 54:57
  of praise.
• 54:59
  Let us
• 54:59
  sing a
• 55:01
  new song
• 55:01
  to him.
• 55:03
  Let us
• 55:03
  pray.
• 55:06
  Lord,
• 55:06
  our
• 55:06
  gracious
• 55:07
  God,
• 55:08
  we rejoice
• 55:08
  in the
• 55:09
  hope that
• 55:09
  we have
• 55:10
  in you,
• 55:11
  the hope
• 55:12
  and the
• 55:12
  wonders that
• 55:13
  you have
• 55:13
  shown towards
• 55:14
  us,
• 55:15
  and above
• 55:15
  all the
• 55:16
  wonders of
• 55:16
  your salvation,
• 55:18
  that you are
• 55:18
  one who has
• 55:19
  remembered us,
• 55:21
  one who has
• 55:21
  done us
• 55:22
  good,
• 55:23
  and one
• 55:23
  who has
• 55:24
  promised to
• 55:25
  go before
• 55:25
  us.
• 55:26
  And so,
• 55:27
  Lord,
• 55:27
  we do
• 55:27
  pray that
• 55:29
  you will
• 55:29
  be a
• 55:29
  God who
• 55:30
  leads us,
• 55:31
  thankful for
• 55:31
  the salvation
• 55:32
  that we
• 55:33
  have in
• 55:34
  Christ Jesus,
• 55:35
  and thankful
• 55:36
  for the
• 55:36
  mission that
• 55:37
  we have,
• 55:38
  to be a
• 55:39
  people of
• 55:39
  worship and
• 55:41
  to be a
• 55:41
  people of
• 55:41
  showing forth
• 55:42
  your praise
• 55:43
  to others.
• 55:45
  Lord,
• 55:45
  may this
• 55:46
  be a year
• 55:47
  when we
• 55:48
  seek to
• 55:48
  do the
• 55:49
  thing that
• 55:50
  pleases
• 55:51
  thee.
• 55:52
  Lord,
• 55:52
  hear our
• 55:53
  prayers and
• 55:53
  go before
• 55:54
  us now,
• 55:55
  pardoning our
• 55:55
  sin in
• 55:56
  Jesus'
• 55:56
  name.
• 55:57
  Amen.
• 56:03
  We're going
• 56:04
  to conclude
• 56:04
  by singing
• 56:05
  these words
• 56:07
  that we've
• 56:07
  been looking
• 56:07
  at in
• 56:08
  Psalm 96.
• 56:11
  In the
• 56:12
  Sing
• 56:12
  Psalms
• 56:13
  version,
• 56:14
  96a,
• 56:15
  page
• 56:16
  126.
• 56:18
  We'll
• 56:18
  sing the
• 56:19
  first three
• 56:19
  stanzas,
• 56:20
  verse 1
• 56:20
  to 6.
• 56:23
  Psalm 96a,
• 56:24
  page 126,
• 56:26
  the tune is
• 56:27
  Effingham.
• 56:28
  O sing a
• 56:29
  new song to
• 56:29
  the Lord,
• 56:30
  sing praises to
• 56:31
  his name,
• 56:32
  and his
• 56:32
  salvation day
• 56:33
  by day let
• 56:34
  all the
• 56:35
  earth proclaim.
• 56:36
  We stand
• 56:37
  to sing to
• 56:38
  God's praise.
• 56:38
  O sing a
• 56:45
  new song to
• 56:48
  the Lord,
• 56:50
  sing praises
• 56:54
  to his
• 56:56
  name,
• 56:58
  and his
• 57:01
  salvation
• 57:03
  day by
• 57:06
  day let
• 57:08
  all the
• 57:10
  earth
• 57:12
  proclaim.
• 57:13
  His
• 57:14
  glory
• 57:18
  and
• 57:20
  his
• 57:21
  mighty
• 57:22
  peace
• 57:24
  to
• 57:25
  every
• 57:27
  land
• 57:29
  declare
• 57:30
  !
• 57:32
  How great
• 57:34
  and
• 57:34
  awesome
• 57:36
  is
• 57:37
  the
• 57:39
  Lord
• 57:40
  within
• 57:41
  the
• 57:43
  God's
• 57:45
  compare.
• 57:46
  name,
• 57:48
  and
• 57:49
  the
• 57:50
  Lord
• 57:51
  For
• 57:52
  cross
• 57:53
  and
• 57:54
  word
• 57:55
  and
• 57:56
  stone,
• 57:58
  the
• 57:58
  Lord
• 58:00
  made
• 58:01
  heaven's
• 58:03
  night.
• 58:04
  Of
• 58:06
  power
• 58:07
  and
• 58:08
  majesty
• 58:10
  are
• 58:12
  his,
• 58:14
  he
• 58:15
  dwells
• 58:16
  in
• 58:17
  glorious
• 58:19
  light.
• 58:23
  Now may
• 58:24
  grace,
• 58:25
  mercy,
• 58:25
  and peace
• 58:26
  from God,
• 58:26
  Father,
• 58:27
  Son,
• 58:27
  and Holy
• 58:28
  Spirit rest
• 58:29
  upon and
• 58:29
  abide with
• 58:30
  you all
• 58:31
  now and
• 58:31
  forevermore.
• 58:33
  Amen.
• 58:34
  I'll go to
• 58:35
  the main
• 58:36
  door just
• 58:36
  now.