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If you turn your Bibles to Psalm
one O 2, as I was preparing this

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Psalm, I read 1 commentator, 
He's a Baptist preacher from 

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England. 
And he made a, he made a point. 

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The Psalm is about the afflicted
one's prayer. 

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That's our title tonight. 
And maybe you're afflicted and 

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you can relate to Psalm one O 2.
But the the author made a very 

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good point that he feels our 
society is obsessively concerned

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about health. 
What do you think? 

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And I thought about that and he 
made a point that every article 

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that appears in the New England 
Journal of Medicine becomes 

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immediately front page news. 
You know, 111 article coffee is 

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bad for you, the next article 
coffee is good for you. 

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And then every diet becomes a 
best selling book. 

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I guess the latest one is 
intermittent fasting and plant 

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based eating, if you're on that.
And every exercise fad goes 

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viral, right? 
The 1000 steps has been replaced

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by the 15 minute workout. 
That's the one I do not working 

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though. 
And then social media, everybody

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who's got a iPhone or a Samsung,
you can literally Google and 

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know, you think you know as much
as your doctor does and you're 

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experts in everything. 
And then there's the Wellness 

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industry that's exploded and 
they're promoting all these new 

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medicines, right? 
I tried that new one, Prevagen. 

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Anybody tried that? 
Supposed to make your brain 

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smarter. 
I tried it for three months. 

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I don't think it works. 
I think I got Dumber but wasted 

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my money. 
And then of course, there's a 

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disease prevention to get the 
latest vaccine. 

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When I go pick up my daughter's 
vaccine or my daughter's 

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prescriptions at the at CVS, 
they asked me, do you have the, 

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did you get the new RSV or the 
new PCV? 

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And I don't even know what those
are. 

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And she said, what's the, I 
can't even pronounce it. 

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The pneumococcal conjugate virus
or the respiratory synthesis 

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virus can't pronounce them. 
I'm not sure I want them. 

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But I guess they have 21 
different virus shots at CVS 

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now. 
And of course, we have a 

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society. 
People have the right to to live

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forever. 
You know, that actress Susan 

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Somers was big on that, but she 
died last year, right? 

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And of course, you have false 
churches with false teachers and

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faith healing. 
You know, we support a pastor in

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Uganda. 
And imagine how hard it is for 

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Pastor Kizza. 
Benny Hinn was in Uganda last 

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week and in three days he had 
half a million people, three day

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three, three crusading, half a 
million. 

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And even the president of the 
country, President Mousavini was

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on stage with him, half a 
million people there. 

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And they claim thousands of 
miracles which none of them can 

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be proved. 
So you can imagine being a 

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pastor like Jotham Kizza, the 
one we support, having to deal 

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with all that there. 
But when the church gets into 

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demands for healing, as many 
churches have, what this is, is 

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an invasion of Christianity by 
the world's way of thinking, 

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right? 
God can and does heal, but not 

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on demand by these so-called 
faith healers. 

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God doesn't actually owe us 
perfect health. 

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That comes when we will be in 
heaven. 

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When you'll be glorified, you 
will have a new body, perfect in

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health with no sin, no stain. 
And often I think many of you 

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can relate to this. 
Ill health draws us to God. 

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It puts us on our knees, right? 
Tonight we're going to look at a

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psalmist who turns his thoughts 
from his circumstances, and he 

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turned his thoughts upon God and
his attributes. 

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Who wrote Psalm one O 2? 
We don't know, but it could have

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been any one of the numbers of 
people in the Bible. 

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You know, it wasn't Job. 
But Job lost his family, right? 

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Job lost his wealth, his health,
and his three friends weren't 

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really friends at all. 
Moses, he spent 40 years in the 

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wilderness, LED 2,000,000 
disgruntled Jews to the Promised

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Land, and then he disobeyed God 
one time and got barred from 

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entering the Promised Land. 
Joseph was hated by his 

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brothers, sold into slavery, 
falsely accused, sitting in a 

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dungeon, and even then he was 
forgotten by the the cupbearer 

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when he interpreted his dream. 
Hannah had to wait year after 

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year to have a baby. 
Jewish tradition tells us it was

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19 years, and every one of those
19 years she was being insulted 

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by her sister, by her. 
The other wife. 

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David was anointed king, but he 
had to wait 13 years being 

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haunted like a dog by King Saul.
Elijah thought he was the only 

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holy man left in all of Israel 
and he wanted to die. 

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Jeremiah faithfully preached and
no one listened for 40 years and

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he ended up sitting in a cistern
in mud. 

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Daniel faithfully prayed and 
obeyed God but when the when the

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the laws of the land changed and
forbid praying he continued to 

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pray and ended up in a lion's 
pit. 

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Paul sat in a Roman jail for 
maybe four to six years of his 

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life. 
The apostle John at a very old 

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age was expelled to a not so 
nice island called Patmos. 

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So we don't know who the writer 
of Psalm One O 2 is, but it 

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could have been any number of 
men suffering. 

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We have a superscription, very 
long one. 

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It says the prayer of 1 
afflicted when he is faint and 

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pours out his complaint before 
the Lord. 

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And maybe some of you can relate
to that. 

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Psalm One O 2, by the way, is 
one of the penitential Psalms. 

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You know, we've talked a lot 
about that. 

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We already looked at, we looked 
at, we've looked at Psalm 6IN 

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past years. 
Psalms 32 Psalms 50. 

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So there's seven of them and 
they're, they're not used much 

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by the Protestant Church, but 
they were the seven penitential 

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psalms or called Psalms of 
confession were listed in the 

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6th century and the Catholic 
Church uses them during Lent. 

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What's interesting though, is 
Psalm one O 2. 

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There's no mention of sin, 
there's no iniquity or 

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confession of sin. 
Yet it's one of the penitential 

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Psalms, and I always wondered 
why it was. 

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It does mention God's wrath and 
his anger in verse 10. 

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So the afflicted 1 here is not, 
and we'll talk about it, is not 

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afflicted by His own sin. 
It's the sin of Israel, the 

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nation. 
This Psalm, it's the first Psalm

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we looked at this summer. 
It's in Book 4. 

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You know, there are five books. 
Book 4 only has 17 Psalms and 

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most rabbis believe that the 
five books of the Psalms 

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correspond to the five books of 
the Torah. 

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So book 4 would correspond to 
the book of Numbers which is the

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book of wandering. 
And a lot of the psalms in book 

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4 like this one are wandering. 
The Babylonian captivity has 

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come so saw the history about 
it. 

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Psalms One O 2 was written 
during a low ebb in the history 

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of God's people. 
It's setting is during the 

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Babylonian captivity of God's 
chosen people. 

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Israel is a time when God's work
has seemingly come to a 

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standstill. 
It's a time when God's word was 

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not being preached, when God's 
people were the minority. 

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It was a time when God's house 
lay in ruin, when God's holy 

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city was in shambles, when God's
glory was veiled. 

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It's a Psalm that begins with 
despair but concludes with a 

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note of triumph. 
There is always hope in the 

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ongoing sovereignty of God over 
His people. 

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I hope you have an outline. 
And tonight I'm going to read. 

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I'm not going to read all 28 
verses right away. 

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Some of your thinking. 
Last week's Psalm was only 7 

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verses. 
How is he going to get through 

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28 verses tonight? 
I won't be going that deep, but 

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we will look at it. 
So let's look at point #1 the 

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psalmist despair. 
And let's read verses 1 to 11 in

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that point. 
Hear my prayer, O Lord, let my 

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cry come to you. 
Do not hide your face from me in

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the day of my distress. 
Incline Your ear to me. 

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Answer me speedily in the day 
when I call, For my days passed 

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away like smoke, and my bones 
burn like a furnace. 

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My heart is struck down like 
grass and has withered. 

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I forgot to eat my bread because
of my loud groaning. 

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My bones cling to my flesh. 
I'm like a desert owl of the 

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wilderness, Like an owl of the 
waste places I lie awake, I'm 

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like a lonely Sparrow on the 
housetop. 

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All the day my enemies taught me
Those who deride me use my name 

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for a curse. 
For I eat ashes like bread and 

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mingle tears with my drink 
because of your indignation and 

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anger. 
For you have taken me up and 

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thrown me down. 
My days are like an evening 

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shadow. 
I wither away like the grass. 

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Let's pray Father, I pray 
tonight that if there's anybody 

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here who's suffering, anybody 
going through trials, whether 

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they be health wise, finances, 
job, family, that Father, they 

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could relate to this psalmist, 
that we could cry out to you. 

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And we know you hear our 
prayers, but then that we would 

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focus our thoughts on You in 
Jesus name, Amen. 

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So the Psalmist despair verse is
1 to 11. 

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Let's look at .1. 
The psalmist despairs. 

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You know these first 11 verses 
are just a cry, a cry of 

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lamentation for God to comfort 
and help the psalmist. 

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I don't know if you noticed, but
the personal pronouns jump out 

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the page. 
The word me is listed seven 

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times. 
The word I is listed 7 times, 

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and then you have the word my, 
which is an adjective 14 times. 

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So between the me I and my in 
verses 1 to 11, I count 28 

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times. 
So you see how it's a very, very

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personal Psalm. 
God's name is only mentioned 

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once in verses 1 to 11, yet 
we'll see compared to that in 

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verses 12 to 22 later. 
So some point #1 hear my prayer,

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He says, hear my prayer. 
O Lord, let my cry come to You. 

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The psalmist is crying out like 
he wants a speedy answer, and 

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haven't we talked a lot about 
that this summer? 

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Remember, Psalms 5 begins with 
the words. 

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Give ear to my words. 
O Lord, consider my groaning. 

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Give attention to the sound of 
my cry, my King and my God, for 

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to you do I pray. 
And then remember Psalm 27. 

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Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud, 
be gracious and answer me. 

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Psalms 44 we looked at says rise
up, come to our help, redeem us 

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for the sake of your steadfast 
love. 

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Psalm 79 we looked at and it 
says in verse nine, help us, O 

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God, of our salvation, for the 
glory of your name, deliver us 

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atone for our sins for your 
name's sake. 

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And just a couple weeks ago we 
looked at Psalms 86, and it 

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began with incline your ear, O 
Lord, answer me, for I am poor 

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and needy. 
So the psalmist is going to say 

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a couple of things. 
He's going to say turn your face

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to me and turn your ear to me to
God. 

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He says, turn your face to me. 
He says do not hide your face 

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from me in the day of my 
distress. 

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You know, during the days of 
Jeremiah, when Jeremiah preached

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faithfully for so many years and
nobody had listened, the Jewish 

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leaders refused to acknowledge 
that God's punishment would 

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include Judah being captured, 
the temple being destroyed and 

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Jerusalem being sacked. 
But all three of those things 

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happen. 
Israel had no king. 

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They had no priest, they had no 
temple, and they and he could 

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not sacrifice for the sins. 
So instead of the Lord's face 

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shining upon Israel, the 
psalmist is saying it seems like

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God has turned his face away 
from Israel. 

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AW Tozer said the greatest test 
of faith is to wait on God, not 

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expecting to push a button and 
get whatever we want. 

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And this psalmist may have cried
out and he may have never had 

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this prayer answered because 
God, who's going to punish 

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Israel for 70 years? 
And we don't know when this 

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Psalm was written within that 
time. 

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So he says then he says turn 
your ear to me. 

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He says in last part of verse 2,
incline your ear to me. 

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Doesn't that sound familiar? 
We looked at Psalms 86.1 and 

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it's 15 times in the Psalms. 
The psalmist will cry out, 

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incline your ear to me. 
God doesn't actually have an 

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ear. 
He's omnipotent, omniscient, and

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he knows all things and He's 
everywhere. 

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So He doesn't have any ear. 
He's a spirit. 

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But you know, I think when I 
pray, I usually pray, you know, 

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dear Heavenly Father, and then I
ask God my request. 

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But you notice here he has three
words for prayer. 

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He calls it prayer. 
He calls it a cry and he calls 

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00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:46,240
it a call and then he uses 5 
verbs. 

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And this is what I found so 
interesting. 

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He says here, let do incline an 
answer to cry out to the 

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compassionate God. 
So maybe when we face trouble 

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when we have a trial suffering, 
when we have health or financial

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problems, the first thing we may
not we maybe we shouldn't do is 

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just say, dear heavenly Father, 
maybe we ought to say what the 

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00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:15,200
psalmist said. 
Hear my prayer, O Lord, let my 

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cry come to you. 
Do not hide your face from me. 

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Incline your ear to me 
answeringly, speedily when I 

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call Spurgeon called this 
arguing with God, debating with 

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God. 
And I really love that. 

233
00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:32,240
And it's taught me a lot this 
summer because most of the 

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00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:35,280
psalms that we've done these 
last nine weeks have been 

235
00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:38,160
prayers right. 
The number at some point to see 

236
00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:42,240
my plight, verses 3 to 11, the 
psalmist is going to give the 

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circumstances for his suffering 
and it reads like the book of 

238
00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:49,800
Job in miniature in in just 9 
verses. 

239
00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:53,680
It's like the book of Job. 
Some commentators feel the 

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00:13:53,680 --> 00:13:57,800
psalmist knew and reflected upon
Job when he wrote this Psalm. 

241
00:13:58,080 --> 00:13:59,360
So I'll go quickly through 
these. 

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00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:03,280
The first thing he says is in 
verse 3, my days are vanishing. 

243
00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:05,760
He says for my days are like 
smoke. 

244
00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:09,680
The psalmist is going to use 
many metaphors here for 

245
00:14:09,680 --> 00:14:12,360
expressions of personal anguish 
and pain and grief. 

246
00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:15,840
So first he compares his life to
like smoke. 

247
00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:19,400
And you know, smoke is thick at 
first, but eventually it fades 

248
00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:22,840
away when the wind comes. 
So it's possible that he's 

249
00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:27,320
riding this amongst the burn 
ruins of Jerusalem after 

250
00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:30,600
Nebuchadnezzar has destroyed and
he's been left behind. 

251
00:14:31,400 --> 00:14:34,480
Second thing he says in the 
latter part of verse 3 is my 

252
00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:37,480
bones are burning. 
The psalmist feels like he's 

253
00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:41,200
been, he's been a thorn thrown 
in a fire and his life is 

254
00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:44,480
vanishing like smoke. 
The third thing he says is his 

255
00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:48,800
heart is struck down like the 
grass, grass that's withered. 

256
00:14:48,800 --> 00:14:51,280
And he says I forgot to eat my 
bread. 

257
00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:54,400
The psalmist is sick and he 
cannot eat. 

258
00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:58,600
His heart is dried up like a 
plant withered by the sun. 

259
00:14:59,560 --> 00:15:02,000
The fourth thing he says is my 
groaning is loud. 

260
00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:05,760
He says because my loud 
groaning, my bones cling to my 

261
00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:11,040
flesh, He has no appetite. 
His body is deterring your way. 

262
00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:14,360
He's reduced to skin and bones 
much like Job. 

263
00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:18,800
Right next he says in verse 6 my
life is ruined. 

264
00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:22,320
It's interesting. 
In verse 6 he lists 2 unclean 

265
00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:25,200
birds. 
He says I'm like a desert owl or

266
00:15:25,200 --> 00:15:28,040
like an owl of the waste places.
And verse 7 he says I'm like a 

267
00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:31,320
lonely Sparrow. 
So the psalmist has no delight 

268
00:15:31,320 --> 00:15:35,600
in life, and he compares himself
to three unclean birds that are 

269
00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:38,080
listed in Leviticus that you're 
not to eat. 

270
00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:40,600
But these birds generally live 
in the wilderness. 

271
00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:45,160
Now, translators have a problem 
with it says desert owl in my 

272
00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:48,320
English standard version. 
Some of you using, many of you 

273
00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:50,760
using the New American Standard 
have the word Pelican. 

274
00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:54,880
Well, if that's true, a Pelican 
is a sea bird and it's out of 

275
00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:58,160
place in the desert, right? 
So the owl should not be in the 

276
00:15:58,160 --> 00:16:00,040
desert. 
The owl should be in the forest,

277
00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:03,320
not waste places. 
And then the lonely Sparrow in 

278
00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:05,840
verse 7 should be with a flock 
of birds, right? 

279
00:16:06,200 --> 00:16:09,960
Not all sitting alone. 
So it's a picture of the 

280
00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:14,120
psalmist living in solitary 
confinement, perhaps no friends.

281
00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:16,000
Perhaps his family has been 
killed. 

282
00:16:16,400 --> 00:16:19,760
He feels isolated and lonely. 
You know, when I was thinking of

283
00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:23,960
this, I can't, it came up that 
that hymn, his eyes on the 

284
00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:26,480
Sparrow, you've got this lonely 
Sparrow. 

285
00:16:26,880 --> 00:16:31,080
And that hymn was written by 
Sevilla de Martin who was 

286
00:16:31,080 --> 00:16:33,120
inspired by the story of a 
couple. 

287
00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:37,400
One of the couple was bedridden 
and the other couple partner was

288
00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:40,400
in a wheelchair. 
Yet despite being bedridden in a

289
00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:44,240
wheelchair, they maintain a 
joyful spirit despite their 

290
00:16:44,240 --> 00:16:47,240
circumstances. 
But the psalmist here, he 

291
00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:50,280
doesn't think that God's eye is 
is on him. 

292
00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:53,400
Next he says in verse 7, my 
sleep is gone. 

293
00:16:54,000 --> 00:16:55,800
The psalmist lies awake all 
night. 

294
00:16:56,240 --> 00:17:00,640
He can't sleep, He can't get any
comfort, he's tormented by being

295
00:17:00,640 --> 00:17:05,000
struck alone and isolated. 
He's physically sick and he's 

296
00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:09,079
mentally sick. 
Next in verse 8 he says all my 

297
00:17:09,079 --> 00:17:11,359
enemies taught me. 
Those who derived me use my name

298
00:17:11,359 --> 00:17:15,599
for a curse. 
This is 1 of the 75 psalms that 

299
00:17:15,599 --> 00:17:19,599
mention enemies. 
So half of the 150 psalms. 

300
00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:22,640
There is something going on with
enemies and this is one of them.

301
00:17:23,319 --> 00:17:25,359
No suffering. 
You all know suffering is 

302
00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:28,680
difficult, right? 
But it's worse when you have 

303
00:17:29,280 --> 00:17:33,760
problem with family members or 
some enemies or insurance not 

304
00:17:33,760 --> 00:17:37,720
helping you or things like that.
So the psalmist here is not 

305
00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:40,720
getting any sympathy from 
enemies, but they're actually 

306
00:17:40,720 --> 00:17:42,960
cursing him, his God in his 
name. 

307
00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:47,680
So physical suffering is bad 
enough, but people can make it 

308
00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:50,200
worse. 
So this Psalm, as I mentioned, 

309
00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:53,240
is written after the Babylonian 
or during the Babylonian 

310
00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:56,560
captivity. 
And maybe, just maybe he's in 

311
00:17:56,560 --> 00:18:00,920
Jerusalem and those three 
enemies of Nehemiah, Tobiah, 

312
00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:05,280
sand below and geisha, remember 
those in Nehemiah, maybe these 

313
00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:07,600
are his enemies there. 
If he's in Jerusalem, we don't 

314
00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:09,400
know. 
But those were the enemies who 

315
00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:12,000
would laugh and mock and say, 
where is your God? 

316
00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:16,360
Where is your God next? 
He says in verse 9 to 10, my 

317
00:18:16,360 --> 00:18:20,080
food is sorrow. 
He says I eat ashes like bread, 

318
00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:23,280
mingle tears with my drink. 
Because of your Indonesia and 

319
00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:25,520
anger, you have taken me up and 
thrown me down. 

320
00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:27,960
Have you ever been through a 
rough patch? 

321
00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:29,800
I'm sure all of us can relate to
it, right? 

322
00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:33,000
And there's times when when 
you're going through a difficult

323
00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:36,080
time and you're just not hungry.
I don't care how good the cook 

324
00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:39,120
is or how good the food is. 
You just, you don't have the 

325
00:18:39,120 --> 00:18:42,080
taste to eat because you're, 
you're just sorrowful. 

326
00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:43,640
You just, you don't have that 
appetite. 

327
00:18:44,120 --> 00:18:47,080
And I mentioned Psalms one O 2 
is one of the seven penitential 

328
00:18:47,080 --> 00:18:51,240
Psalms, but it doesn't mention 
sin or confession of sin. 

329
00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:54,240
So most commentators believe the
psalmist is suffering 

330
00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:57,320
innocently. 
God is punishing Israel for the 

331
00:18:57,320 --> 00:19:01,280
70 years he allowed 
Nebuchadnezzar to just destroy 

332
00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:03,080
Jerusalem to burn the temple 
down. 

333
00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:06,720
So Israel is being judged, but 
it's probably not for the 

334
00:19:06,720 --> 00:19:09,040
psalmist sin, but for the sins 
of Israel. 

335
00:19:09,800 --> 00:19:13,080
He finally describes his 
condition as God like God in a 

336
00:19:13,080 --> 00:19:15,800
hurricane, taking him and 
throwing him down like a rag 

337
00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:19,240
doll. 
And then verse 11, he says, my 

338
00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:21,360
days are like the evening 
shadow. 

339
00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:25,760
I wither away like grass. 
So it's like the sun going down 

340
00:19:26,320 --> 00:19:28,160
and darkness falling on the 
psalmist. 

341
00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:31,160
He has little hope. 
His life is having a way. 

342
00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:34,400
You know what I was thinking of 
this last year? 

343
00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:37,040
Pastor Lance taught the book of 
Job and I thought it was one of 

344
00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:40,080
the the best teachings I've ever
heard 30 messages of. 

345
00:19:40,360 --> 00:19:42,360
If you want to listen to it 
online or get the tapes, you 

346
00:19:42,360 --> 00:19:44,600
can. 
But there was one time he said 

347
00:19:44,800 --> 00:19:48,640
that we need to be wise about 
our suffering and trials. 

348
00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:54,200
And Lance said that ever 
evitable, never enjoyable, 

349
00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:59,000
however always purposeful and 
profitable are trials. 

350
00:19:59,320 --> 00:20:01,800
Now you may not like that. 
And Lance listed a bunch of 

351
00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:03,720
verses. 
He listed Job 51. 

352
00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:09,040
But man is born to trouble. 
As sparks fly upward, trouble 

353
00:20:09,040 --> 00:20:11,600
just comes right. 
You, you, you can't avoid it. 

354
00:20:12,040 --> 00:20:17,880
Job 14, one man who was born of 
a woman is few of days and full 

355
00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:20,720
of trouble. 
James 1-2 to three. 

356
00:20:21,120 --> 00:20:25,280
Count it all joy, my brothers, 
when you meet trials of various 

357
00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:27,720
kinds. 
For you know that the testing of

358
00:20:27,720 --> 00:20:30,480
your faith produces 
steadfastness. 

359
00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:34,800
Second Corinthians 4 verses 7:00
and 8:00 But we have this 

360
00:20:34,800 --> 00:20:39,760
treasure in jars of clay to show
that surpassing power belongs to

361
00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:43,600
God and not to us. 
We are afflicted in every way, 

362
00:20:43,760 --> 00:20:47,840
but not crushed, perplexed but 
not driven to despair, 

363
00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:53,120
persecuted but not forsaken, 
struck down but not destroyed. 

364
00:20:53,360 --> 00:20:56,440
And then the last two are from 
first Peter chapter 4, verse 12.

365
00:20:57,040 --> 00:21:01,800
Beloved, do not be surprised at 
the fiery trial when it comes 

366
00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:07,320
upon you to test you as though 
something strange were happening

367
00:21:07,360 --> 00:21:09,680
to you. 
And then the next verse is first

368
00:21:09,680 --> 00:21:15,200
Peter 413 says, But rejoice 
insofar as you share in Christ's

369
00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:19,000
sufferings, that you also 
rejoice and be glad when his 

370
00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:23,080
glory is revealed. 
You know, you can't help think 

371
00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:27,440
of Isaiah 53, four to six when I
look at this. 

372
00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:32,640
He was one who suffered 
immensely 700 years before the 

373
00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:34,880
Messiah would come and go to the
cross. 

374
00:21:35,400 --> 00:21:39,440
Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 53, 
four to six and just listen to 

375
00:21:39,440 --> 00:21:42,280
the words. 
Surely He has borne our griefs, 

376
00:21:42,760 --> 00:21:47,320
carried our sorrows, yet we 
esteemed Him stricken, smitten 

377
00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:50,200
by God, afflicted. 
He was pierced for our 

378
00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:52,760
transgressions, He was crushed 
for our iniquities. 

379
00:21:53,040 --> 00:21:56,800
Upon Him was the chastisement 
that brought us peace, and by 

380
00:21:56,800 --> 00:21:58,880
His wounds we are are all 
healed. 

381
00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:01,360
All we, like sheep, have gone 
astray. 

382
00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:05,080
We have turned everyone to his 
own way, and the Lord has laid 

383
00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:10,320
on him the iniquity of us all. 
Let's look at point #2 and I'm 

384
00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:13,680
going to read verses 12 to 22. 
This is paragraph 2. 

385
00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:17,400
But you, O Lord, are enthroned 
forever. 

386
00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:20,560
You are remembered throughout 
all generations. 

387
00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:23,160
You will arise and have pity on 
Zion. 

388
00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:27,360
It is the time to favor her. 
The appointed time has come for 

389
00:22:27,360 --> 00:22:29,920
Your servants. 
Hold her stones dear and have 

390
00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:33,320
pity on her dust. 
Nations will fear the name of 

391
00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:36,960
the Lord, and all the kings of 
the earth will fear Your glory. 

392
00:22:37,400 --> 00:22:40,640
For the Lord builds up Zion. 
He appears in His glory. 

393
00:22:40,880 --> 00:22:44,360
He regards the prayer of the 
destitute, and does not despise 

394
00:22:44,360 --> 00:22:46,880
their prayer. 
Let this be a record for a 

395
00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:50,200
generation to come, so that a 
people yet to be created may 

396
00:22:50,200 --> 00:22:53,600
praise the Lord, that he looked 
down from his holy height. 

397
00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:57,280
From heaven. 
The Lord looked at the earth to 

398
00:22:57,280 --> 00:23:00,320
hear the groans of the prisoners
to set those who are doomed to 

399
00:23:00,320 --> 00:23:04,120
die, that they may declare in 
Zion the name of the Lord and in

400
00:23:04,120 --> 00:23:07,920
Jerusalem His praise when 
peoples gather together and 

401
00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:11,800
kingdoms to worship the Lord. 
So this is called the psalmist 

402
00:23:12,080 --> 00:23:15,440
devotion. 
And notice how verse 12 begins. 

403
00:23:15,680 --> 00:23:18,760
Total contrast shift from verses
1:00 to 11:00. 

404
00:23:19,160 --> 00:23:23,480
But you, but you, he's talking 
to God. 

405
00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:27,200
So it marks a chance for the 
psalmist attitude to change. 

406
00:23:27,760 --> 00:23:31,760
And he turns from his problems 
and he turns to God in heaven. 

407
00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:34,840
And I think that's the one big 
take we have to take from this 

408
00:23:34,840 --> 00:23:37,040
Psalm tonight. 
No matter what trial you're 

409
00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:40,600
going through, no matter what 
persecution, what suffering, 

410
00:23:40,600 --> 00:23:43,720
what disease you're going 
through, you have to get your 

411
00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:49,280
eyes off of that trial and look 
and say, but you and talk to God

412
00:23:49,560 --> 00:23:53,720
and list out his attributes and 
it gets gets the problem off 

413
00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:56,840
you. 
Warren Weirsby said the throne 

414
00:23:56,840 --> 00:24:01,040
of David was gone and would not 
be claimed until Jesus came to 

415
00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:05,280
earth, but the throne in heaven 
was secure. 

416
00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:08,440
Notice the change in verses 1 to
11. 

417
00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:15,720
We see 28 personal pronouns and 
objectives, my, me, I but in, 

418
00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:21,480
but in verses 12 to 22, zero. 
That's because this section is 

419
00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:25,600
all about God. 
His name is Yahweh and it's 

420
00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:31,280
mentioned 7 times Yahweh in 
verses 12 to 22 and only once in

421
00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:35,720
verses 1 to 11. 
So after listing 9 circumstances

422
00:24:35,720 --> 00:24:40,280
of suffering, the psalmist will 
begin to fix his eyes on Yahweh 

423
00:24:40,520 --> 00:24:44,000
and who he is. 
And #1 he looks at God's 

424
00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:48,800
eternality for God's eternality.
In verse 12 he says that God 

425
00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:53,120
abides forever, but you, O Lord,
are enthroned forever. 

426
00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:55,760
God is eternal. 
Moses said it. 

427
00:24:55,760 --> 00:24:59,280
You know Moses wrote Psalm 90, 
the only Psalm that Moses wrote,

428
00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:02,160
which might just be the oldest 
scripture written if Moses wrote

429
00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:04,480
it before Genesis, Exos, 
Leviticus, Numbers, and 

430
00:25:04,480 --> 00:25:07,800
Deuteronomy. 
But Psalms 91 says Lord, you 

431
00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:12,000
have been been our dwelling 
places in all generations before

432
00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:15,360
the mountains were brought forth
or ever you had formed the earth

433
00:25:15,360 --> 00:25:19,240
and the world from everlasting 
to everlasting, You are God. 

434
00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:23,880
God abides forever, and then God
abides to all generations. 

435
00:25:24,080 --> 00:25:27,680
He says you are remembered 
through all generations. 

436
00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:31,520
G Campbell Morgan said there's 
nothing more calculated to 

437
00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:35,880
strengthen the heart in 
suffering or inspire the Spirit 

438
00:25:35,880 --> 00:25:39,680
with courage in the days of 
danger and difficulty than the 

439
00:25:39,680 --> 00:25:43,880
sense of the eternality of God. 
When you think about the 

440
00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:50,000
eternality of God, who he is, I,
My problems are so minuscule, so

441
00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:53,600
minor, and I know how it ends in
the Book of Revelation. 

442
00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:59,720
And then next, God's pity, 
verses 13 to 14, God's going to 

443
00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:02,760
have compassion. 
God's going to be gracious and 

444
00:26:02,760 --> 00:26:05,280
God's going to give pleasure. 
First off, he's going to have 

445
00:26:05,280 --> 00:26:08,360
compassion. 
He says you notice how he talks 

446
00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:10,800
you, you, you. 
I think I wrote it down. 

447
00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:14,760
I'm not sure, maybe 6 times you 
in these sections. 

448
00:26:15,360 --> 00:26:19,080
So even though he mentions 
Yahweh 7 times, he says you, 

449
00:26:19,080 --> 00:26:23,000
you, you repeatedly, you will 
arise and have pity on Zion. 

450
00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:26,280
So this is the first of three 
times Zion is mentioned. 

451
00:26:26,560 --> 00:26:30,400
And last week we looked at Psalm
79, the Psalm of Zion. 

452
00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:33,000
And so we talked a lot about 
Zion last week. 

453
00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:36,960
But Zion is mentioned in verses 
1316 and 21. 

454
00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:43,200
And we talked about last week, 
God loves Zion and God wasn't 

455
00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:46,360
finished with Israel, right? 
God made a covenant with Israel 

456
00:26:46,360 --> 00:26:47,840
and he's not finished with 
Israel. 

457
00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:51,040
He will fulfill that covenant. 
He will keep his promises. 

458
00:26:51,480 --> 00:26:55,720
And after 70 years, God would 
stir up the heart of King Cyrus 

459
00:26:56,120 --> 00:26:59,760
and there would be 3 returns 
back to Israel as there were 

460
00:26:59,760 --> 00:27:03,560
three deportations. 
God will rebuild the city of 

461
00:27:03,560 --> 00:27:07,080
Zion. 
Secondly, says it's time to 

462
00:27:07,080 --> 00:27:09,480
favor her. 
The appointed time has come. 

463
00:27:10,120 --> 00:27:12,960
So maybe this time of 70 years 
was almost done. 

464
00:27:13,160 --> 00:27:15,920
We don't know exactly. 
And God's going to raise King 

465
00:27:15,920 --> 00:27:18,080
Cyrus and allow the Jews to 
return. 

466
00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:21,000
So he's begging that for God's 
favor to come. 

467
00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:26,160
We know that that Daniel knew 
reading Jeremiah the 70 years. 

468
00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:28,320
We don't know if the psalmist 
did, but maybe he did. 

469
00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:32,880
And then verse 14, it says that 
for your servants, hold her 

470
00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:35,120
stones dear, and we'll have pity
on her dust. 

471
00:27:35,760 --> 00:27:39,560
So here Nebuchadnezzar had 
reduced Jerusalem to rubble. 

472
00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:44,000
You know when you read Psalm 74 
verses two to seven just 

473
00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:47,560
describes Jerusalem is just a 
pile of stones, but God loves 

474
00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:52,040
Zion and God's in control and 
the temple in Jerusalem would be

475
00:27:52,040 --> 00:27:54,720
rebuilt. 
But not only does God love Zion,

476
00:27:55,160 --> 00:27:58,200
but the people of Jerusalem love
the stones of Zion. 

477
00:27:58,440 --> 00:28:01,920
He says Your servants hold her 
stones dear and have pity in her

478
00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:04,200
dust. 
And this verse reminds me of 

479
00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:07,480
when they when they laid that 
temple foundation in Ezra 

480
00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:10,560
chapter 3. 
It says in verse 10 all the 

481
00:28:10,560 --> 00:28:13,840
people shouted with a great 
shout when they praise the Lord,

482
00:28:13,920 --> 00:28:16,400
because the foundation of the 
Lord has laid. 

483
00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:19,680
But many of the priests and 
Levi's heads of the Father's 

484
00:28:19,680 --> 00:28:23,760
houses, old men who had seen the
1st house, wept with a loud 

485
00:28:23,760 --> 00:28:26,680
voice when they saw the 
foundation of this house being 

486
00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:29,240
laid. 
Though many shouted aloud for 

487
00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:32,920
joy, so that the people could 
not distinguish the sound of 

488
00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:35,760
joyful shout from the sound of 
the people's weeping. 

489
00:28:36,080 --> 00:28:38,920
For the people shouted with a 
great shout, and the sound was 

490
00:28:38,920 --> 00:28:41,320
heard far away. 
So you got people shouting for 

491
00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:44,280
joy because the stones are being
laid, and they got people 

492
00:28:44,280 --> 00:28:47,920
weeping because the foundation 
isn't as grand as the last time.

493
00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:51,720
Next, verse 15. 
We have God's sovereignty. 

494
00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:57,520
He says all nations will fear 
Him, and all kings will come to 

495
00:28:57,520 --> 00:29:00,080
Him. 
He says nations will fear the 

496
00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:03,200
name of the Lord. 
Then we looked at Psalm 87 last 

497
00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:07,960
week, and we said in Psalm 86.9 
that all the nations of the 

498
00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:12,000
earth shall come and worship 
before You, O Lord, and shall 

499
00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:15,120
glorify Your name. 
Some will come to the earthly 

500
00:29:15,120 --> 00:29:18,240
Jerusalem. 
Many will come to the heavenly 

501
00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:20,920
Jerusalem and the millennial 
Jerusalem. 

502
00:29:21,720 --> 00:29:25,520
So the psalmist here is actually
praying for the conversion of 

503
00:29:25,520 --> 00:29:29,080
the Gentile nations. 
So the nations will come and 

504
00:29:29,080 --> 00:29:32,000
then he says all the kings of 
the earth will fear your glory. 

505
00:29:32,320 --> 00:29:36,640
So the kings are going to come. 
Psalms 138 verse 2 says all the 

506
00:29:36,680 --> 00:29:39,600
kings of the earth shall give 
you thanks, O Lord, for they 

507
00:29:39,600 --> 00:29:41,480
have heard the words of your 
mouth. 

508
00:29:41,760 --> 00:29:45,160
So someday, now, you know, I 
mentioned last week, you look at

509
00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:49,000
a map and there's 59 Islamic 
countries around Israel, and 

510
00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:50,840
then you've got that little 
Israel right there. 

511
00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:53,520
And most of those countries are 
enemies of Israel. 

512
00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:57,440
But someday every one of those 
nations, all the King's rulers 

513
00:29:57,560 --> 00:30:02,000
will come to the Messiah in 
Jerusalem and give him thanks 

514
00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:04,760
and glory. 
Now verse 16, we talk about 

515
00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:06,520
God's glory for God's glory 
here. 

516
00:30:07,240 --> 00:30:10,360
For he has built up his 10th 
people and he has revealed his 

517
00:30:10,360 --> 00:30:12,640
glory. 
He says the Lord builds up Zion.

518
00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:16,880
So the second time that Zion's 
mentioned, Alexander McLaren 

519
00:30:16,880 --> 00:30:22,520
said Zion cannot die while 
Zion's God lives and God would 

520
00:30:22,520 --> 00:30:26,240
keep his promises and his glory 
would return to Zion. 

521
00:30:26,920 --> 00:30:28,600
And then he has revealed his 
glory. 

522
00:30:29,200 --> 00:30:34,320
He says he appears in his glory.
This is probably a prophecy of a

523
00:30:34,320 --> 00:30:38,720
future time when God's glory 
will be visible when the Messiah

524
00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:42,360
is at the temple in Jerusalem, 
because God's glory resides in 

525
00:30:42,360 --> 00:30:45,040
the temple. 
That's the visible manifestation

526
00:30:45,040 --> 00:30:47,720
of God. 
And then we go to for God's 

527
00:30:47,720 --> 00:30:53,000
faithfulness in verse 17, he 
will respond to the destitute 

528
00:30:53,480 --> 00:30:58,480
and he will receive their plea. 
Verse 17 says he he regards the 

529
00:30:58,480 --> 00:31:04,000
prayer of the destitute. 
AW Tozer said upon God's 

530
00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:07,800
faithfulness rests our whole 
hope of future blessedness. 

531
00:31:08,760 --> 00:31:12,760
Only as He is faithful will his 
covenant stand and his promises 

532
00:31:12,760 --> 00:31:15,520
be honored. 
Only as we have complete 

533
00:31:15,520 --> 00:31:19,520
assurance that he is faithful, 
may we live in peace and look 

534
00:31:19,520 --> 00:31:22,120
forward with assurance of the 
life to come. 

535
00:31:22,760 --> 00:31:27,080
You know, in verses one to two, 
I mentioned he gave 55 verbs 

536
00:31:27,560 --> 00:31:29,280
demanding God to hear his 
prayer. 

537
00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:32,640
The question is, did the 
psalmist, did God hear his 

538
00:31:32,640 --> 00:31:34,120
prayer? 
I'll answer that in just a 

539
00:31:34,120 --> 00:31:36,200
minute. 
But I do believe here when he 

540
00:31:36,200 --> 00:31:39,720
says he regards the prayer of 
the destitute, he knows God will

541
00:31:39,720 --> 00:31:42,360
hear his prayer. 
He also says that he will 

542
00:31:42,360 --> 00:31:45,760
receive their plea. 
He says and does not despise 

543
00:31:45,760 --> 00:31:48,840
their prayer. 
You know, we sing a song here at

544
00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:51,520
Christ Community Church often 
called God is faithful. 

545
00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:55,200
Remember that song, it's by 
Sovereign Grace Music and the 

546
00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:57,840
chorus is just real simple. 
It's actually a chorus from 

547
00:31:57,840 --> 00:32:01,480
Psalm 114. 
It says God is faithful to his 

548
00:32:01,480 --> 00:32:04,960
promise. 
He is with us, He is with us. 

549
00:32:05,280 --> 00:32:08,240
God is faithful. 
God is faithful to his own. 

550
00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:12,120
So the psalmist is, is realizing
just how faithful God is. 

551
00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:15,200
Even though Jerusalem's in 
ruins, the temple's been 

552
00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:18,920
destroyed, they can't sacrifice.
There's just a few people left. 

553
00:32:19,280 --> 00:32:22,640
And next number 6 for God's 
immutability. 

554
00:32:23,760 --> 00:32:28,120
And in verse 18, he says his 
plan is recorded and his people 

555
00:32:28,120 --> 00:32:30,880
will rejoice. 
He says let this be recorded for

556
00:32:30,880 --> 00:32:36,520
a generation to come. 
Now there's a 11 author said 

557
00:32:36,520 --> 00:32:39,360
that you know, things aren't 
happening right now. 

558
00:32:39,880 --> 00:32:41,560
The the temple is not being 
rebuilt. 

559
00:32:41,920 --> 00:32:46,000
Nobody's come back from the 
three the three Cyrus hasn't set

560
00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:49,080
the three teams of people yet. 
He's just sitting around. 

561
00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:53,400
So it's like God's not working. 
But one author said, no matter 

562
00:32:53,400 --> 00:32:57,840
how impaired God's work may 
become, the immutability of God 

563
00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:01,920
guarantees that his work will 
move forward in God's perfect 

564
00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:05,120
time. 
Thus, there's always unshakable 

565
00:33:05,120 --> 00:33:08,160
hope in the future. 
Immutability for those you don't

566
00:33:08,160 --> 00:33:12,880
know is God doesn't change. 
But God's immutability, His plan

567
00:33:12,880 --> 00:33:15,080
has been recorded. 
He's written it down. 

568
00:33:15,160 --> 00:33:18,640
It will come to pass. 
He loves the nation of Israel 

569
00:33:18,840 --> 00:33:23,360
and someday He will, He will 
redeem all Israel in Romans 9:00

570
00:33:23,360 --> 00:33:25,400
to 11:00. 
And then it says in the last 

571
00:33:25,400 --> 00:33:29,000
part of verse 18, His people 
will rejoice, He says, so that a

572
00:33:29,000 --> 00:33:32,640
people yet to be created may 
praise the Lord. 

573
00:33:33,200 --> 00:33:37,400
So maybe this psalmist in his 
pain and suffering didn't get to

574
00:33:37,400 --> 00:33:40,200
see the temple. 
I don't know, but maybe his 

575
00:33:40,200 --> 00:33:42,200
children and his grandchildren 
did. 

576
00:33:42,680 --> 00:33:46,240
A generation yet to come. 
One commentator said that when 

577
00:33:46,240 --> 00:33:51,400
you are ill or severely 
afflicted, I'm going to go see 

578
00:33:51,880 --> 00:33:53,720
Larry Arvis. 
And you know, you know, he fell 

579
00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:54,920
off a ladder and broke his 
ankle. 

580
00:33:54,920 --> 00:33:57,680
And I'm going to lecture him not
to get on a ladder at age 91 

581
00:33:57,680 --> 00:34:00,000
anymore. 
But this guy says when you're 

582
00:34:00,000 --> 00:34:04,360
ill or severely afflicted, write
a journal of praise to pass on 

583
00:34:04,360 --> 00:34:07,640
to children and grandchildren. 
And Larry is just such a joyful 

584
00:34:07,640 --> 00:34:09,560
person, isn't he? 
It would be a perfect one for 

585
00:34:09,560 --> 00:34:12,199
him to do that. 
Let's look at #7 for God's 

586
00:34:12,199 --> 00:34:15,159
sensitivity, He looks down from 
heaven. 

587
00:34:15,480 --> 00:34:19,120
Verse 19 says he looked down 
from his holy height, from the 

588
00:34:19,120 --> 00:34:21,080
heaven. 
The Lord looked at earth. 

589
00:34:21,400 --> 00:34:24,199
The omniscient God of the 
universe doesn't actually have 

590
00:34:24,199 --> 00:34:26,520
to look down. 
But you know, he looked down at 

591
00:34:26,520 --> 00:34:30,560
Sodom and Gomorrah. 
He looked down at at the Tower 

592
00:34:30,560 --> 00:34:33,199
of Babel, and he's looked down 
several times. 

593
00:34:33,199 --> 00:34:36,560
So he looks down from heaven and
it says he hears their groans. 

594
00:34:36,880 --> 00:34:40,120
Are these prisoners? 
Are they the Babylonian captives

595
00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:43,120
who were taken to Babylon? 
So maybe this, this Psalm was 

596
00:34:43,120 --> 00:34:47,159
written when Jerusalem was still
burning and, and just been 

597
00:34:47,159 --> 00:34:49,000
destroyed. 
And all these captives are on 

598
00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:52,600
their way to Jerusalem. 
And then he says to set free 

599
00:34:52,600 --> 00:34:55,080
those who are doomed to die. 
Many of those captives would be 

600
00:34:55,080 --> 00:34:58,280
executed. 
I think one time I, I counted 

601
00:34:58,360 --> 00:35:02,400
they executed over 86 people. 
Nebuchadnezzar executed over 86 

602
00:35:02,400 --> 00:35:04,800
people on the senses of death 
there. 

603
00:35:04,800 --> 00:35:07,400
So there are some prisoners 
apparently under the sentence of

604
00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:10,240
death. 
And then he says #8 for God's 

605
00:35:10,240 --> 00:35:15,520
name, OK, it will be declared in
Zion, the name of the Lord, and 

606
00:35:15,520 --> 00:35:18,600
in Jerusalem, his praise. 
This is the third time or Psalm 

607
00:35:18,600 --> 00:35:21,240
has mentioned Zion, and this 
time it mentions it with 

608
00:35:21,240 --> 00:35:25,400
Jerusalem. 
Yahweh is God's name mentioned 

609
00:35:25,400 --> 00:35:27,920
three times. 
I'm sorry, mentioned seven times

610
00:35:28,120 --> 00:35:30,800
in verses 12 to 22. 
And you know, it's the most 

611
00:35:30,800 --> 00:35:35,160
common name for God in the Bible
mentioned over 6000, some 

612
00:35:35,160 --> 00:35:39,120
commentators say 6500, others 
say 6800. 

613
00:35:39,320 --> 00:35:41,280
But it's God's covenant name, 
right? 

614
00:35:41,800 --> 00:35:44,640
And it says it will be declared 
by all, it says when peoples 

615
00:35:44,640 --> 00:35:47,800
gather together and kingdoms to 
worship the Lord. 

616
00:35:48,320 --> 00:35:52,800
You know we saw in Psalms 87 
last week, right, that natural 

617
00:35:52,800 --> 00:35:58,240
born again citizens from all 
Four Nations, including Israel's

618
00:35:58,240 --> 00:36:02,400
enemies will gather in Zion and 
worship the Lord some great day.

619
00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:06,120
So I asked a question earlier, 
did God answer this psalmist 

620
00:36:06,120 --> 00:36:09,120
prayer? 
Turn with me to Psalm 147. 

621
00:36:09,960 --> 00:36:13,360
Turn with me to Psalm 147 
because that is the answer to 

622
00:36:13,360 --> 00:36:23,860
prayer in Psalm 147 was written 
when the temple was being 

623
00:36:23,860 --> 00:36:28,060
restored. 
Psalm 147 says praise the Lord, 

624
00:36:28,380 --> 00:36:32,060
for it is good to sing praises 
to our God, for it is pleasant 

625
00:36:32,100 --> 00:36:36,400
and a song of praise is fitting.
The Lord builds up Jerusalem. 

626
00:36:36,640 --> 00:36:38,840
He gathers the outcast of 
Israel. 

627
00:36:38,960 --> 00:36:42,240
He heals the broken hearted and 
binds up their wounds. 

628
00:36:42,480 --> 00:36:44,400
He determines the number of 
stars. 

629
00:36:44,600 --> 00:36:46,640
He gives to all of them their 
names. 

630
00:36:46,880 --> 00:36:49,120
Great is our Lord and abundant 
in power. 

631
00:36:49,280 --> 00:36:51,160
His understanding is beyond 
measure. 

632
00:36:51,480 --> 00:36:54,200
The Lord lifts up the humble. 
He cast the wicked to the 

633
00:36:54,200 --> 00:36:56,000
ground. 
Sing to the Lord with 

634
00:36:56,000 --> 00:36:58,600
Thanksgiving. 
Make a melody to our God on the 

635
00:36:58,600 --> 00:37:00,680
lyre. 
He covers the heavens with 

636
00:37:00,680 --> 00:37:04,880
clouds, He prepares rain for the
earth, He makes the grass grow 

637
00:37:05,040 --> 00:37:07,600
on the hills. 
He gives the beast their food 

638
00:37:07,760 --> 00:37:10,640
and the young Ravens that cry. 
His delight is not in the 

639
00:37:10,640 --> 00:37:13,480
strength of the horse, His 
pleasure is not in the legs of 

640
00:37:13,480 --> 00:37:15,560
man. 
But the Lord takes pleasure in 

641
00:37:15,560 --> 00:37:19,280
those who fear Him, in His hope,
in His steadfast love. 

642
00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:24,120
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem, 
Praise your God, O Zion, for he 

643
00:37:24,120 --> 00:37:25,840
strengthen the bars of your 
gates. 

644
00:37:26,000 --> 00:37:27,600
He blesses your children within 
you. 

645
00:37:27,880 --> 00:37:29,720
He makes peace within your 
borders. 

646
00:37:29,880 --> 00:37:31,680
He fills you with the finest of 
wheat. 

647
00:37:31,880 --> 00:37:33,600
He sends out his command to the 
earth. 

648
00:37:33,840 --> 00:37:37,440
His word runs swiftly. 
He gives snow like wool, He 

649
00:37:37,440 --> 00:37:41,720
scatters frost like ashes. 
He hurls down his crystals of 

650
00:37:41,720 --> 00:37:45,840
ice like like crumble. 
Who can stand before his cold? 

651
00:37:46,040 --> 00:37:47,960
He sends out his word and melts 
them. 

652
00:37:48,120 --> 00:37:50,880
He makes his wind blow and the 
waters flow. 

653
00:37:51,200 --> 00:37:54,840
He declares his word to Jacob, 
his statues and rules to Israel.

654
00:37:55,160 --> 00:37:58,480
He has not dealt thus with any 
other nation. 

655
00:37:58,680 --> 00:38:02,680
They do not know his rules. 
Praise the Lord, you know you 

656
00:38:02,680 --> 00:38:09,320
count there in that Psalms 14744
references to God alone, but 

657
00:38:09,320 --> 00:38:12,160
that's the answer to prayer. 
God did build up Jerusalem. 

658
00:38:12,360 --> 00:38:16,000
God did answer the psalmist 
prayer in God's timing, right. 

659
00:38:16,560 --> 00:38:22,400
Let's look at at point #3 the 
psalmist dependency Psalms 23 to

660
00:38:22,400 --> 00:38:26,720
Psalms 28. 
Psalms 23 says he has broken my 

661
00:38:26,720 --> 00:38:29,720
strength in mid course. 
He has shortened my days. 

662
00:38:30,160 --> 00:38:33,920
Oh God, I say, take me not away 
in the midst of my days. 

663
00:38:34,320 --> 00:38:38,040
You whose years endure through 
all generations of old. 

664
00:38:38,040 --> 00:38:41,040
You laid the foundation of the 
earth, and the heavens are the 

665
00:38:41,040 --> 00:38:43,560
work of your hands. 
They will perish, but you will 

666
00:38:43,560 --> 00:38:45,840
remain. 
They will all wear out like a 

667
00:38:45,840 --> 00:38:47,920
garment. 
You will change them like a 

668
00:38:47,920 --> 00:38:52,960
robe, and they will pass away. 
But you are the same, and your 

669
00:38:52,960 --> 00:38:55,760
years have no end. 
The children of your servants 

670
00:38:55,760 --> 00:38:58,080
shall dwell secure. 
Their offspring shall be 

671
00:38:58,080 --> 00:39:02,320
established before you. 
You know the name of God is only

672
00:39:02,320 --> 00:39:05,520
mentioned once in this last 
paragraph and it's it's the 

673
00:39:05,520 --> 00:39:09,120
generic name L for God. 
But the psalmist does use the 

674
00:39:09,120 --> 00:39:13,760
words you 6 times and he two 
times in this brief section 

675
00:39:13,760 --> 00:39:15,720
here. 
But the psalmist is going to 

676
00:39:15,960 --> 00:39:17,880
list why he's dependent upon 
God. 

677
00:39:18,440 --> 00:39:21,440
Now the first verse is kind of 
interesting Psalm verse 23 

678
00:39:21,920 --> 00:39:24,120
because he goes back to verses 1
to 11. 

679
00:39:24,440 --> 00:39:28,640
He says God crushed me, He broke
my strength and he shortened my 

680
00:39:28,640 --> 00:39:30,920
days. 
In verse 23, he says he has 

681
00:39:30,920 --> 00:39:32,760
broken my strength in mid 
course. 

682
00:39:33,520 --> 00:39:37,400
So Psalms verse 23, the psalmist
returns to remind God of his 

683
00:39:37,400 --> 00:39:39,240
circumstances in verses 1:00 to 
11:00. 

684
00:39:39,240 --> 00:39:41,720
And then he says he's shortened 
my days. 

685
00:39:42,160 --> 00:39:45,440
The psalmist feels like he's 
about to die and there's an 

686
00:39:45,440 --> 00:39:49,800
urgency in his prayer, much 
like, you know, Moses in Numbers

687
00:39:49,800 --> 00:39:54,000
11, Moses asked God to kill him.
He wanted to die because he was 

688
00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:57,320
overburdened with the the the 
responsibility of the children. 

689
00:39:57,320 --> 00:40:02,000
Israel mentioned Elijah. 
Elijah wanted to die and after 

690
00:40:02,000 --> 00:40:05,480
the great victory of the 
prophets of Baal, Elijah flees 

691
00:40:05,480 --> 00:40:10,000
from Jezebel and he asked God 
just kill me, just kill me and 

692
00:40:10,000 --> 00:40:13,080
Jonah. 
Jonah, frustrated by God's mercy

693
00:40:13,280 --> 00:40:17,200
on the people of Nineveh, asked 
God to kill him in Jonah 4 three

694
00:40:17,480 --> 00:40:20,880
Job repeatedly in the book of 
Job asked. 

695
00:40:21,440 --> 00:40:24,880
Desired for death, asking 
lament, lamenting his suffering 

696
00:40:25,080 --> 00:40:28,720
and questioning God's action. 
Jeremiah cursed the day of his 

697
00:40:28,720 --> 00:40:31,960
birth, indicating a desire. 
He wished he hadn't been born 

698
00:40:32,280 --> 00:40:35,600
thus, a desire for death. 
And even the apostle Paul, that 

699
00:40:35,600 --> 00:40:39,680
great apostle in Second 
Corinthians 18, says that 

700
00:40:40,080 --> 00:40:42,880
brothers, brothers, we 
experienced affliction. 

701
00:40:43,040 --> 00:40:46,600
We were so utterly burdened 
beyond strength that we 

702
00:40:46,600 --> 00:40:50,480
despaired of life. 
But God didn't allow any of 

703
00:40:50,480 --> 00:40:54,040
those men to die, right? 
Charles Ryrie says all the 

704
00:40:54,040 --> 00:40:59,040
powers of the world cannot take 
my life away until God permits. 

705
00:40:59,600 --> 00:41:03,280
And then he says all the 
physicians of the earth cannot 

706
00:41:03,280 --> 00:41:06,040
preserve it when God calls me 
away. 

707
00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:11,320
So let's look at First off. 
Then that was was God crushed 

708
00:41:11,320 --> 00:41:16,280
him in verse 23. 
But then in verse 24 to 28, he's

709
00:41:16,280 --> 00:41:19,720
going to call upon God and he's 
going to list 5 things. 

710
00:41:19,720 --> 00:41:21,840
They're not really in your 
outline, you have to list them, 

711
00:41:21,840 --> 00:41:26,040
but number one he's going to say
in verse 24, God, you control 

712
00:41:26,040 --> 00:41:29,360
all things. 
He says, Oh my God, I say take 

713
00:41:29,360 --> 00:41:30,960
me not away in the midst of my 
days. 

714
00:41:31,200 --> 00:41:34,160
Use whose years endure through 
all generations. 

715
00:41:34,520 --> 00:41:37,880
The psalmist was afraid he was 
going to die soon and you would 

716
00:41:37,880 --> 00:41:40,480
never see the restoration of the
temple in Jerusalem. 

717
00:41:41,040 --> 00:41:43,200
The psalmist is thinking like 
King Hezekiah. 

718
00:41:43,360 --> 00:41:45,600
Remember when Elijah went to 
King Hezekiah and says you're 

719
00:41:45,600 --> 00:41:47,000
going to die, get your house in 
order. 

720
00:41:47,560 --> 00:41:53,000
Isaiah 3810 King Hezekiah says 
in the midst of my days, I must 

721
00:41:53,000 --> 00:41:55,600
depart. 
I am consigned to the gates of 

722
00:41:55,600 --> 00:41:57,320
sheehole for the rest of my 
years. 

723
00:41:57,720 --> 00:42:01,040
I said I shall not see the Lord 
the Lord in the land of living. 

724
00:42:01,280 --> 00:42:04,280
I shall look upon man no more 
among the inhabitants of the 

725
00:42:04,280 --> 00:42:07,560
world. 
So kind of like the same pouting

726
00:42:07,560 --> 00:42:10,560
with God there, but the psalmist
acknowledges that God controls 

727
00:42:10,560 --> 00:42:15,880
all in verse 24 and there's 25. 
He acknowledges that God creates

728
00:42:15,880 --> 00:42:19,120
all he says of old. 
You laid the foundation of the 

729
00:42:19,160 --> 00:42:21,320
earth. 
The heavens are the work of your

730
00:42:21,320 --> 00:42:24,160
hands. 
He is the creator God, right? 

731
00:42:24,960 --> 00:42:36,080
And these verses, Psalm, I'm 
sorry, Psalms 102 verses 2526 

732
00:42:36,080 --> 00:42:41,440
and 27 are quoted in Hebrews 
chapter 1 verses 11:50. 

733
00:42:41,440 --> 00:42:45,360
And you know, Hebrews one, which
is just quote after quote after 

734
00:42:45,360 --> 00:42:49,040
quote from Psalms, but Hebrews 
one, the writer of Hebrews is 

735
00:42:49,040 --> 00:42:52,360
trying to prove that Jesus 
Christ is superior to angels. 

736
00:42:52,640 --> 00:42:57,520
So he quotes our Psalm, Psalm, 
our verses 25 to 27. 

737
00:42:57,880 --> 00:43:01,400
And he's indicating, hey, that 
Jesus is greater than angels 

738
00:43:01,600 --> 00:43:05,120
because the sun created the 
universe and one day that sun is

739
00:43:05,120 --> 00:43:07,080
going to destroy the heavens and
the earth he created. 

740
00:43:07,440 --> 00:43:09,880
But this, this sun remains 
unchanged. 

741
00:43:10,920 --> 00:43:14,240
And again he talks about the 
immutability and divine essence 

742
00:43:14,240 --> 00:43:17,080
of God. 
So He's the creator. 

743
00:43:17,560 --> 00:43:20,320
And then in verse 26, God 
changes all. 

744
00:43:21,360 --> 00:43:23,520
He says they will perish, but 
you remain. 

745
00:43:24,160 --> 00:43:25,800
They will all wear out like a 
garment. 

746
00:43:25,840 --> 00:43:28,960
You will change them like a 
robe, and they will all pass 

747
00:43:28,960 --> 00:43:31,440
away. 
Astronomers tell us that the 

748
00:43:31,440 --> 00:43:35,880
stars will wear out in 5.5 
billion years and that someday 

749
00:43:35,880 --> 00:43:38,040
our sun is going to run out of 
hydrogen. 

750
00:43:38,520 --> 00:43:41,160
So even they will apparently 
wear out like a garment. 

751
00:43:41,640 --> 00:43:45,000
But God is everlasting, 
everlasting, eternal. 

752
00:43:45,560 --> 00:43:50,880
Now verse 27, God changes not he
says, but you are the same and 

753
00:43:50,880 --> 00:43:54,400
your years have no end. 
God doesn't change. 

754
00:43:54,560 --> 00:43:58,600
You know I mentioned MacArthur 
says immutability is yet another

755
00:43:58,600 --> 00:44:00,880
characteristic of the divine 
essence. 

756
00:44:01,160 --> 00:44:05,800
Once again, the Old Testament 
testifies to the Son's deity. 

757
00:44:06,120 --> 00:44:09,920
Hebrews 13/8 says, you know that
verse, Jesus Christ is a saying,

758
00:44:09,920 --> 00:44:15,680
yesterday, today, and forever, 
and then #5 God cares for all. 

759
00:44:15,800 --> 00:44:18,600
Verse 28 The psalmist ends with 
hope. 

760
00:44:18,960 --> 00:44:21,360
OK. 
The psalmist says, the children 

761
00:44:21,360 --> 00:44:25,080
of your servants shall dwell, 
secure, their offspring shall be

762
00:44:25,080 --> 00:44:28,120
established before you. 
The psalmist knows that the 

763
00:44:28,120 --> 00:44:31,080
future is dependent upon God and
His promises. 

764
00:44:31,720 --> 00:44:34,520
The psalmist might not see the 
return of Jews. 

765
00:44:34,680 --> 00:44:38,120
He might not see the temple 
being rebuilt and Jerusalem 

766
00:44:38,120 --> 00:44:42,160
being rebuilt under King Cyrus, 
but he knows his children will. 

767
00:44:42,280 --> 00:44:44,440
Because you know God will keep 
His promise. 

768
00:44:45,080 --> 00:44:48,640
The Lord did keep His promise. 
The people were restored to 

769
00:44:48,640 --> 00:44:52,640
Jerusalem under King Cyrus and 
eventually God would send Jesus 

770
00:44:52,640 --> 00:44:56,720
Christ the Messiah to restore 
mankind to Himself. 

771
00:44:57,240 --> 00:45:00,480
And only Jesus is the answer to 
our problems and sufferings. 

772
00:45:00,960 --> 00:45:03,440
I quoted this once before, but I
felt it was appropriate to read 

773
00:45:03,440 --> 00:45:06,440
it again tonight. 
There's a Chinese parable which 

774
00:45:06,440 --> 00:45:10,360
describes how a man fell into a 
pit and he lay groaning there 

775
00:45:10,360 --> 00:45:13,520
and helpless. 
Presently Confucius, that great 

776
00:45:13,520 --> 00:45:17,800
Chinese philosopher, passed by 
and seeing the man, said to him,

777
00:45:18,520 --> 00:45:20,520
how foolish of you to fall in 
there. 

778
00:45:21,160 --> 00:45:24,680
I am truly sorry for you. 
Let me give you some advice. 

779
00:45:24,680 --> 00:45:27,720
If you ever get out of this pit,
don't fall in again. 

780
00:45:28,800 --> 00:45:32,960
Later a Buddhist priest passed 
by and said, Poor fellow 

781
00:45:32,960 --> 00:45:36,400
creature, if you can but 
struggle halfway out, I could 

782
00:45:36,400 --> 00:45:40,520
reach you and lift you out. 
But the next day the Lord Jesus 

783
00:45:40,520 --> 00:45:43,640
passed by that way. 
And hearing the man's groans, he

784
00:45:43,640 --> 00:45:48,520
had compassion on him and said, 
I loved you and gave myself for 

785
00:45:48,520 --> 00:45:51,160
your salvation. 
And he stooped right down and 

786
00:45:51,160 --> 00:45:55,080
lifted that man up saying, see, 
I've saved you, go and sin no 

787
00:45:55,080 --> 00:45:57,920
more. 
What a wonderful savior is he. 

788
00:45:58,280 --> 00:46:02,440
So I hope like the psalmist, you
can keep your eyes on Jesus no 

789
00:46:02,440 --> 00:46:05,600
matter what they are. 
Don't be surprised when times of

790
00:46:05,600 --> 00:46:07,800
spiritual loneliness and despair
come. 

791
00:46:08,080 --> 00:46:12,680
They will come. 
God is not obliged or obligated 

792
00:46:12,800 --> 00:46:15,160
to answer our cries for help 
immediately. 

793
00:46:15,440 --> 00:46:18,160
You've heard it 100 times in 
this church, Ambassador Lance, 

794
00:46:18,360 --> 00:46:20,920
that God never gave Job the 
answer, right? 

795
00:46:21,160 --> 00:46:24,160
Job did not know what was going 
on behind the scenes. 

796
00:46:24,960 --> 00:46:29,720
But don't confuse the silence of
God with a lack of love, a lack 

797
00:46:29,720 --> 00:46:33,320
of love or compassion. 
But try to direct your vision to

798
00:46:33,320 --> 00:46:36,440
the eternal picture than the 
immediately difficult 

799
00:46:36,440 --> 00:46:39,760
circumstances. 
So remember tonight, verses 1 to

800
00:46:39,760 --> 00:46:44,120
11, we're all about suffering. 
But verse 12, he says, but you, 

801
00:46:44,560 --> 00:46:48,120
the psalmist got his eyes 
focused on his immutability, his

802
00:46:48,120 --> 00:46:51,720
eternality, his pity, his 
compassion, his faithfulness. 

803
00:46:52,080 --> 00:46:55,040
And I was thinking tonight in 
closing, we have a few minutes 

804
00:46:55,040 --> 00:46:56,440
before you can pick up your 
kids. 

805
00:46:57,000 --> 00:46:58,840
But I was thinking about the 
book of Philippians. 

806
00:46:59,120 --> 00:47:01,640
And if you want to turn there, 
the book of Philippians. 

807
00:47:02,600 --> 00:47:07,760
You know, the apostle Paul is 
sitting in a Roman jail, yet he 

808
00:47:07,760 --> 00:47:11,760
says so much about joy and 
rejoicing. 

809
00:47:12,040 --> 00:47:14,320
So much. 
Sometimes it drives me crazy. 

810
00:47:14,760 --> 00:47:16,080
But I want you to think about 
this. 

811
00:47:17,440 --> 00:47:21,080
Prison is not a place to write 
about joy, is it? 

812
00:47:22,000 --> 00:47:25,440
It's probably cold. 
He's chained to a Roman soldier.

813
00:47:27,400 --> 00:47:31,920
I'm sure the food wasn't good. 
You know he's innocent, but 

814
00:47:31,920 --> 00:47:34,560
prison is not a place to write 
about joy and peace. 

815
00:47:35,320 --> 00:47:38,320
Yet look what the apostle Paul 
does. 

816
00:47:38,640 --> 00:47:42,880
Philippians 1, three to four. 
I thank my God in all my 

817
00:47:42,880 --> 00:47:47,280
remembrance of you always and 
every prayer of mine for you 

818
00:47:47,320 --> 00:47:53,880
all, making my prayer with joy. 
So there's joy in prayer. 

819
00:47:54,800 --> 00:47:58,360
Even though he's in jail, even 
though he's going to spend at 

820
00:47:58,360 --> 00:48:01,160
least two years there on the 1st
imprisonment. 

821
00:48:01,920 --> 00:48:06,800
Then look at Philippians. 
Where did I go? 

822
00:48:06,800 --> 00:48:10,000
I missed up here. 
I'm not sure what verse is in 

823
00:48:10,000 --> 00:48:12,000
chapter 1, but it says what 
then? 

824
00:48:13,320 --> 00:48:18,480
Only that in every way, whether 
in pretense or truth, Christ is 

825
00:48:18,480 --> 00:48:21,080
proclaimed. 
And in that I rejoice. 

826
00:48:21,240 --> 00:48:26,800
Yes, I will rejoice. 
OK, so that's, that's in verses,

827
00:48:26,800 --> 00:48:32,160
I think 15 and 16 there the last
part of there. 

828
00:48:32,560 --> 00:48:35,280
So here there's joy, even though
there's personal conflict going 

829
00:48:35,280 --> 00:48:37,440
on. 
Some people are preaching Christ

830
00:48:37,440 --> 00:48:39,720
out of envy. 
Apostle Paul's doing it out of 

831
00:48:39,720 --> 00:48:43,160
sincerity, but he's he's just 
happy that the gospel is being 

832
00:48:43,160 --> 00:48:45,120
preached. 
So even though there's conflict 

833
00:48:45,120 --> 00:48:49,360
going on, there's joy. 
Then chapter 2 verses one to 

834
00:48:49,360 --> 00:48:53,080
two, he says, so if there's any 
encouragement in Christ, any 

835
00:48:53,080 --> 00:48:56,760
comfort from love, any 
participation in the Spirit, any

836
00:48:56,760 --> 00:49:02,000
affection and sympathy, complete
my joy by being of the same 

837
00:49:02,000 --> 00:49:05,600
mind, having the same love, 
being in the full accord and of 

838
00:49:05,600 --> 00:49:08,400
one mind. 
So there's joy in prayer, 

839
00:49:08,400 --> 00:49:11,560
there's joy in personal 
conflicts, and there's joy in 

840
00:49:11,560 --> 00:49:15,280
unity in the body of Christ. 
And did we not see that last 

841
00:49:15,280 --> 00:49:18,760
week at Vacation Bible School? 
It was just so beautiful. 

842
00:49:18,920 --> 00:49:21,680
You've got the, the games going 
on over there. 

843
00:49:21,920 --> 00:49:24,480
You've got the, the snacks going
on over here. 

844
00:49:24,600 --> 00:49:26,720
You got the Bible story going on
over here. 

845
00:49:26,800 --> 00:49:29,080
You got the, the crafts going on
over here. 

846
00:49:29,360 --> 00:49:34,440
And there's like 60-70 people 
with those kids and everybody's 

847
00:49:34,440 --> 00:49:35,960
functioning. 
It's just a wonderful 

848
00:49:35,960 --> 00:49:39,760
demonstration of love and unity,
all so that the children can 

849
00:49:39,760 --> 00:49:44,800
learn about Jesus Christ. 
Philippians 2 verses 7 to 18, he

850
00:49:44,800 --> 00:49:50,160
says in Philippians 217 to 18, 
even if I'm being poured out as 

851
00:49:50,160 --> 00:49:52,960
a drink offering upon the 
sacrificial offering of your 

852
00:49:52,960 --> 00:49:56,280
faith, I am glad and rejoice 
with you all. 

853
00:49:56,600 --> 00:50:00,240
Likewise, you also should be 
glad and rejoice with me. 

854
00:50:01,480 --> 00:50:05,640
So it's possible here. 
We do believe that Apostle Paul 

855
00:50:05,640 --> 00:50:09,280
was released, but even if God 
would allow him to die here, 

856
00:50:09,400 --> 00:50:13,080
he's going to have joy in death 
because you know, absent from 

857
00:50:13,080 --> 00:50:14,800
the body is present with the 
Lord. 

858
00:50:15,000 --> 00:50:17,800
So he's not feeling he's not 
having a pity party here. 

859
00:50:18,000 --> 00:50:21,840
Even in second Timothy chapter 
4, which we Paul's last words, 

860
00:50:21,960 --> 00:50:25,080
he doesn't have a pity party. 
There's joy in pending death 

861
00:50:25,360 --> 00:50:29,080
because he knows that he'll be 
with Christ in heaven forever. 

862
00:50:29,360 --> 00:50:32,360
And then if you go to the last 
verses in in Philippians 2 

863
00:50:32,640 --> 00:50:35,720
verses 28 to 29, not quite the 
last. 

864
00:50:36,520 --> 00:50:38,560
He says I am more eager to send 
him. 

865
00:50:39,360 --> 00:50:41,200
OK. 
He's talking about a path a 

866
00:50:41,200 --> 00:50:44,760
path, right a path roditis. 
I'm sorry wrong guy. 

867
00:50:45,280 --> 00:50:47,880
I'm more eager to send him there
for that you may rejoice at 

868
00:50:47,880 --> 00:50:50,600
seeing him again and that I may 
be less anxious. 

869
00:50:50,760 --> 00:50:54,200
So receive him in the Lord with 
all joy and honor such men. 

870
00:50:54,560 --> 00:50:58,440
So one of the main reasons Paul 
wrote Philippians was to ease 

871
00:50:58,440 --> 00:51:02,200
their concern for a path roditis
health even sick almost died. 

872
00:51:02,440 --> 00:51:03,800
They're they're they're 
grieving. 

873
00:51:03,800 --> 00:51:06,280
They're worried, but they love 
this brother. 

874
00:51:06,920 --> 00:51:10,560
So there's joy in the leadership
and Paul's going to send 

875
00:51:10,560 --> 00:51:13,280
Epaphroditus back to them and 
there's just going to be great 

876
00:51:13,280 --> 00:51:15,960
joy. 
And there's the Philippians had 

877
00:51:16,080 --> 00:51:19,040
love and joy for the leadership 
in Epaphroditus. 

878
00:51:19,520 --> 00:51:23,680
And then look at Philippians 31.
Finally, my brothers, rejoice in

879
00:51:23,680 --> 00:51:26,160
the Lord. 
To write the same thing to you 

880
00:51:26,160 --> 00:51:29,000
is no more trouble to me and 
it's safe for you. 

881
00:51:29,280 --> 00:51:32,720
So this is the first time he 
says joy in the Lord. 

882
00:51:32,720 --> 00:51:35,640
In Philippians he said a lot 
about joy, a lot about 

883
00:51:35,640 --> 00:51:37,720
rejoicing. 
But here he says we have to have

884
00:51:37,720 --> 00:51:40,400
joy in the Lord. 
And there is no joy without the 

885
00:51:40,400 --> 00:51:42,400
Lord, is there? 
There's no hope without the 

886
00:51:42,400 --> 00:51:44,040
Lord, right? 
And then if you go to 

887
00:51:44,040 --> 00:51:47,480
Philippians 4/1, he says, 
therefore, my brothers whom I 

888
00:51:47,480 --> 00:51:51,240
love and long for my joy and 
crown, stand firm in the Lord, 

889
00:51:51,240 --> 00:51:54,160
my beloved. 
So Paul is saying, there's joy 

890
00:51:54,160 --> 00:51:56,120
in seeing the fruit of the 
believers. 

891
00:51:56,240 --> 00:51:59,080
There's joy in seeing the choir 
grow here. 

892
00:51:59,160 --> 00:52:02,640
There's joy in seeing 19 people 
going to Argentina, 11 of them 

893
00:52:02,640 --> 00:52:04,040
who've never been on a mission 
trip. 

894
00:52:04,240 --> 00:52:08,120
There's joy the last few weeks 
we've had with, you know, 300 

895
00:52:08,120 --> 00:52:09,600
people in the auditorium 
singing. 

896
00:52:09,720 --> 00:52:12,640
There's been great joy in when 
you have see the fruit in the 

897
00:52:12,640 --> 00:52:14,800
lives of the believers. 
And then you just go to verse 

898
00:52:14,800 --> 00:52:16,640
four. 
He once again says in 

899
00:52:16,640 --> 00:52:19,360
Philippians 4/4, rejoice in the 
Lord always. 

900
00:52:19,360 --> 00:52:22,920
Again I say rejoice. 
So there's only joy in the Lord,

901
00:52:22,920 --> 00:52:26,240
nowhere else. 
And then you go to verse 10 for 

902
00:52:26,240 --> 00:52:29,760
Philippians 410I rejoice in the 
Lord greatly that now at length 

903
00:52:29,760 --> 00:52:31,560
you have revived your concern 
for me. 

904
00:52:31,960 --> 00:52:34,520
You're indeed concerned for me, 
but had no opportunity. 

905
00:52:34,760 --> 00:52:38,480
There's joy in giving. 
You may not think so, but there 

906
00:52:38,480 --> 00:52:39,720
is. 
There's joy in giving. 

907
00:52:40,040 --> 00:52:43,120
And you know, you know what 
Jesus said, it's better to give 

908
00:52:43,120 --> 00:52:45,520
than to receive. 
So there's great joy when you 

909
00:52:45,520 --> 00:52:48,800
give. 
So we don't know exactly the 

910
00:52:48,800 --> 00:52:52,320
total time Paul spent in jail, 
but I was reading today that 

911
00:52:52,480 --> 00:52:56,080
possibly, you know, two years 
here, he was released, then he 

912
00:52:56,080 --> 00:52:58,320
spent two years in the prison in
Caesarea. 

913
00:52:58,800 --> 00:53:01,560
And then before he was executed,
could have been a year, a year 

914
00:53:01,560 --> 00:53:03,880
and a half. 
So Paul might have spent six 

915
00:53:03,880 --> 00:53:07,920
years in prison. 
Bad food, bad sleep, cold, hot. 

916
00:53:08,280 --> 00:53:12,360
Yet he can constantly says 
rejoice, rejoice in the Lord 

917
00:53:12,760 --> 00:53:14,920
because he's not looking at his 
circumstances. 

918
00:53:15,200 --> 00:53:19,840
His eyes are fixed on his Savior
Jesus Christ and God the Father.

919
00:53:20,440 --> 00:53:23,760
In fact, he actually says in 
Philippians that is imprisonment

920
00:53:24,320 --> 00:53:27,160
advanced the gospel just 
incredible. 

921
00:53:27,720 --> 00:53:29,640
So I hope tonight that Psalm one
O 2. 

922
00:53:30,280 --> 00:53:34,040
If you're being afflicted with 
any trial, any suffering, maybe 

923
00:53:34,040 --> 00:53:37,840
family, maybe financial, I don't
know, you'll you'll see that the

924
00:53:37,840 --> 00:53:41,920
psalmist got his eyes off of his
circumstances and got his eyes 

925
00:53:41,920 --> 00:53:44,000
on God. 
That's what we need to do, and 

926
00:53:44,000 --> 00:53:46,320
we need to rejoice even in those
sufferings. 

927
00:53:46,640 --> 00:53:48,840
Let's pray. 
Father, thank you tonight for 

928
00:53:48,840 --> 00:53:51,360
Psalm 1O2. 
I know it's a long Psalm, and we

929
00:53:51,360 --> 00:53:54,200
have to go quick to cover 
through it, but I pray that we 

930
00:53:54,200 --> 00:53:57,720
could leave here tonight, that 
when the trials come, when the 

931
00:53:57,720 --> 00:54:00,960
suffering comes, or perhaps 
there are people here who, like 

932
00:54:00,960 --> 00:54:04,440
the psalmist, are afflicted, are
suffering, are struggling. 

933
00:54:05,040 --> 00:54:08,760
May we keep our eyes focused on 
You and may we consider it with 

934
00:54:08,760 --> 00:54:12,200
all joy. 
May we not be surprised, but may

935
00:54:12,200 --> 00:54:15,520
we, may we long for that day 
when we'll be in heaven with you

936
00:54:15,520 --> 00:54:17,320
forever. 
We will remember your 

937
00:54:17,320 --> 00:54:19,800
faithfulness. 
May we remember your love and 

938
00:54:19,800 --> 00:54:23,680
your mercy, your immutability 
and all your attributes. 

939
00:54:23,680 --> 00:54:27,440
Father, may we keep our eyes 
focused on you till that day the

940
00:54:27,440 --> 00:54:29,960
trial's over, Till that great 
day you take us home to be with 

941
00:54:29,960 --> 00:54:32,880
you forever in Jesus name, Amen.