1 Samuel 29.
Then the Philistines gathered together all their armies at Aphek,
! and the Israelites encamped by a fountain which is in Jezreel.
!
Aphek said to the princes of the Philistines,
Is this not David, the servant of Saul, king of Israel,
who has been with me these days or these years?
And to this day I have found no fault in him since he defected to me.
But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him.
So the princes of the Philistines said to him,
Make this fellow return, that he may go back to the place
which you have appointed for him,
and do not let him go down with us to battle,
lest in the battle he become our adversary.
For with what could he reconcile himself to his master
if not with the heads of these men?
Is this not David, of whom they sang to one another in dances,
saying, Saul has slain his thousands and David his tens of thousands?
Then Achish called David and said to him,
Surely as the Lord lives, you have been upright
and you're going out and you're coming in with me in the army.
It is good in my sight.
For to this day I have not found evil in you
since the day of your coming to me.
Nevertheless, the lords do not favor you.
Therefore return now and go in peace,
that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.
So David said to Achish,
But what have I done?
And to this day, what have you found in my servant,
as long as I have been with you,
that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?
Then Achish answered and said to David,
I know that you are as good in my sight as an angel of God.
Nevertheless, the princes of the Philistines have said,
He shall not go up with us to the battle.
Now therefore, rise early in the morning
with your master's servants who have come with you.
And as soon as you are up early in the morning
and have light, depart.
So David and his men rose early to depart in the morning
to return to the land of the Philistines.
And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.
The word of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God.
Please be seated.
The grass withers and the flower fades,
but the word of the Lord stands forever.
Let's pray.
Lord, we trust your promises.
In this life, in this world, we do groan.
We do mourn.
We do fail.
We are weak.
But your joy comes in the morning.
We long for that day, Lord,
when you will come in glory and in power,
riding on the clouds
with the host of heaven's army,
the commander, Jesus Christ,
the King of kings.
And until that day, Lord,
we trust that you will preserve us
by your Holy Spirit,
by the righteousness of Christ.
Your active obedience that you secured
applied to us, your people,
by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Please do that, Lord,
even through this faulty ministry of the word.
I pray that your spirit will take
the scripture and the truth of the gospel
and the plan of redemption
that you fulfilled
and apply it to your people,
this church today, Lord.
For your glory we ask.
Amen.
Linguists use a helpful term.
Lexical stress.
It's the relative emphasis
or prominence given to a specific word
within a sentence
to distinguish that word from others.
Consider this sentence from verse 8.
What have I done?
Question mark.
It can take on three different meanings
based on emphasis.
For example,
maybe some of you teenagers here
in a soccer practice
or jujitsu
or maybe a class in school
or maybe just as siblings,
you all had to share
in a consequence
that everybody had to now do
because of one or two troublemakers.
You might say,
what have I done?
Or maybe some of you
are preparing a dish
for our potluck tonight
after the baptism
and if you're like me
that earlier this week
you accidentally put in
the wrong ingredient
for one of the parts,
you might say,
what have I done?
Or maybe you realize
that you have hurt someone
very badly.
Your conscience
asks you in silence,
what have I done?
This question
David asks of himself
in this chapter
and God's spirit
asks that question
of each of us
from this chapter.
With God's help
I've been praying
that he would cause us
to understand
the significance
of the problems here
at this point
in redemptive history
and even more than the problems
to understand God
through how God
deals with it.
Look at verse 1.
Then the Philistines
gathered together
all their armies
at Aphek.
They're not in Jezreel yet.
It's leading up to that.
And the Israelites
encamped
by a fountain
which is in Jezreel.
So the Israelites
are there
and the Philistines
are on their way.
Aphek
we've heard this before.
If we go all the way back
to the fourth chapter
of 1 Samuel
Aphek was the place
where the Philistines
had first killed
4,000 Israelites
and then to make matters worse
with Saul
trying to take things
into his own hands
or I'm sorry
it was before Saul
before Saul
was even appointed
the Israelites
just wanted to
do things their way.
They wanted to bring
the Ark of the Covenant
as their little
war token
and see if God
would bless that
and instead
3,000 foot soldiers
of the Israelites
were slain.
The Ark was captured
and then remember
the bad news comes back
that Eli died
when he heard about
all of this happening
and his failure
and then one of his
daughter-in-laws
named her son
Ichabod
which means
the glory of God
has departed.
So by using this name
of a place
Aphek
where the Philistines
are passing through
on their way
to the battle
we're reminded of this.
In chapter 28
that we saw
last time
we were in this book
is a very dark story
leading up
now it's not Eli
and it's not
all of Israel
you know
trying to manipulate God
it's the king
that God gave them
a king
of their own choosing
like all the other nations
Saul
going to consult
a medium
like all the other nations do
and it's said
in contrast
with chapter 29
side by side
so that we can see
a difference
between these two kings
Saul
the outgoing king
and David
the incoming new king
what will become
of each of these two men
in chapter 28
David
was marching
with the enemy
at the beginning
of the chapter
you remember that
and then it flashes
to Saul
from his perspective
and we're left
in suspense
what's going to happen
now with David
he was stuck there
we know from chapter 28
the glory of God
departed from Saul
Saul got nothing
no response from God
God was silent
toward him
so he consults
with the medium
and God still
prophesies judgment
because the glory of God
had departed from Saul
but we're left wondering
coming into chapter 29
has the glory of God
also departed
from David
and is there no hope
in any king
that David
David nor Saul
can bring this
to the nation
maybe God's glory
has departed
completely from this nation
we read in chapter 29
verse 2
our sermon passage
for today
the lords of the Philistines
lined up
some translations say
the princes of the Philistines
you remember the Philistines
were a coalition
of five city states
that would work together
but they didn't seem
to want to submit
one to another
and they would keep
each other in check
most likely
it's the entire nation
joining along
with King Achish
they lined up
by hundreds
and by thousands
this is why Saul
is trembling
and had that great fear
in his heart
but we read
an interesting detail
in verse 2
that David and his men
where did they line up
it says they lined up
at the back
in the rear
with Achish
in Bible study
this was really helpful
to clarify
if you go back
to chapter 28
look at verse 2
why is David
this mercenary
lined up at the back
with the king
with King Achish
wouldn't it make sense
to send this foreigner
who's going to fight
fellow Israelites
out in front
let's put him
to the test first
let's see if he really fights
and then we got him flanked
and if he's going
to betray us
we slaughter him
along with all of
Saul's army
but in God's providence
chapter 28 verse 2
God had already
caused Achish
to appoint David
to be his bodyguard
to watch over his head
do you remember that
and so there's David
now at the back
the end of the line
the end of the procession
not having to go
and be the front runners
in verse 3
we read
then the princes
of the Philistines said
what are these Hebrews
doing here
think about it
from their perspective
wait a second
King Achish
you see the foolishness
in what you're doing here
you're sending us out first
then here's David
with his 600 men
plus all these mighty men
that have been fleeing
all the way to Ziklag
what if David turns on us
he's going to flank us now
we're going to be trapped
in the middle of this
horrible confrontation
with Israel
this is not wise
there's no way
we are doing that
Achish says
this is David
the servant of King Saul
of Israel
yeah I'll acknowledge that
but he's been with me
all these days
no
it's been all these years now
he's saying
I've tested him
I've proved him
he defected to me
and I find no fault
in him
that's the first time
Achish declares
David's innocence
in verse 4
the princes of the Philistines
are angry
make this fellow return
that we may go back
he may go back
to Ziklag
don't let him go down
to battle with us
lest in the battle
he will become
our adversary
literally the word
for adversary
in Hebrew
you know what this is
Satan
they're accusing David
of being their Satan
their adversary
for with what could
he reconcile himself
to his master
Saul you just
Achish
you just said Saul
is David's real master
if not with the heads
of these men
so the princes are saying
he's
remember what he did
with Goliath's head
he presented that back
to King Saul
as a trophy of war
he's going to do that
with our troops now
our hundreds and thousands
that are going out
that's the only way
he can gain back
the favor
of being an Israelite
how else
could he do this
in verse 5
is this not David
who slayed his
ten thousands
these same Israelites
dancing
singing
mocking us
for their great victory
this is that same man
and those were my brothers
and my cousins
that he took their lives
he's going to do that next
well that's from the
Philistines perspective
now from David's perspective
he's got himself
into this situation
if you'll remember
because his relationship
with Achish
has always been based
on manipulation
and deceit
first time he encountered
Achish
he pretended to be crazy
he let drool
and run down his beard
and now he's been
lying to Achish
all along
he's been going out
and attacking
the Amalekites
and other people
that are probably
part of their caravans
and going back and forth
and he's bringing loot
back and profit
back to Achish
and now they've established
this relationship
where David is successful
but it's based on lies
oh what a tangled web
we weave
when first we practice
to deceive
David began
this relationship
with lies
and the longer
the relationship
goes on
the more entangled
he becomes
in this web
of his own lies
from David's perspective
it's understandable
to wonder
have I spoiled
God's plan
have I messed up
God's promises
will David
die now
with Saul
and get the just
judgment he deserves
is this the end
for David
for Saul
is this the end
of God's favor
on an entire nation
is this the end
of the plan
of God's redemption
what have I done
well in verse 6
Achish called David
and swore an oath
surely as
the Lord
lives
we don't know
whether Achish
knew Yahweh
but the writer
of the scripture
knows Yahweh
and it's breathed
out by the spirit
and he's appealing
to David's God
you David
Achish says
have been upright
and you're going out
and you're coming in
with me
in the army
is good in my sight
remember that phrase
it was when
after David
defeated Goliath
Saul kept promoting him
and David would go out
and come in victorious
and go out to fight
and come back victorious
over and over
now it's that similar
relationship
but not with the king
of Israel
with the king
of Saul's enemies
the Lord
blessed
David
his chosen
servant
even in exile
just as God
has a pattern
of doing this
doesn't he
think of how God
blessed Jacob
even when he was
in Laban's house
how he blessed
Moses and Joseph
when they were
in the palace
of Pharaoh
why does God
do this
he blesses
his anointed
servants
even in exile
it's not because
any one of those
servants
is deserving
but it's to
accomplish
God's decree
what God
has purposed
from eternity
past
so to speak
and that's
to redeem
a people
for himself
ultimately
through his
son
our Lord
Jesus Christ
you see
God's providence
in this whole
situation
bringing it up
to this point
I'm reminded
of the New Testament
when Jesus
tells us
you see who
God is
God doesn't
change
it's how he's
always been
in Matthew 10 29
not even one
sparrow
one small
bird children
falls to the
ground
apart from
your father's
will
but the very
hairs of your
head are
numbered
all of them
do not fear
therefore
for you are
of much more
value than
many sparrows
our confession
of faith
on providence
chapter 5
paragraph
1
synthesizes
what scripture
teaches this way
God
the good
creator
of all
things
in his
infinite
power
and wisdom
upholds
directs
disposes
and governs
all creatures
and things
from the very
greatest
even to the
least
by his
most wise
and holy
providence
to the end
for which
they were
created
David was
created
for a purpose
despite
David's
lies
despite
David's
sin
despite
his
failings
the Lord
would see
that David
would be
directed
and disposed
and made
fit to
accomplish
that very
end
for which
God
created
David
not because
David
deserves
it
because
that's
who
God
is
and
that's
how
God
deals
with
sinners
in this
world
like you
and me
well
Achish
in verse
6
tells
David
the
lords
the
princes
the other
rulers
of the
Philistines
don't
favor
you
even though
I've
declared
you
innocent
in my
eyes
verse
7
so return
now
and go
in peace
that you
may not
displease
the lords
of the
Philistines
what would
you do
if you
were David
you were
in the
worst
dilemma
of your
life
the worst
battle
tactical
layout
you could
ever mark
up on a
whiteboard
and you
just got
a free
pass
you get
to go
David
and my
relationship
with you
stays good
I
see
you're
innocent
but it's
them
it's
the
lords
just
go
now
this
tells us
a lot
about
David
look at
verse 8
to this
day
what have
you found
in your
servant
as long
as I
have been
with you
that I
may not
go
and fight
against
the enemies
of my
lord
the king
that's a
confusing
response
David
seems to
be
complaining
about
not
being
made
to go
fight
against
his
own
nation
what
have
I
done
wrong
king
Achish
haven't
I
proven
myself
why
can't
I
go
fight
against
the
enemies
of
my
lord
the
king
see
David
is so
cunning
and
deceptive
even
we
now
with
the
help
of
the
holy
spirit
and
all
of
the
bible
completed
we
don't
know
what
he's
meaning
here
we
don't
know
what
he's
trying
to
do
doesn't
he
want
to
get
out
of
there
why
does
he
seem
to
protest
this
I
don't
have
answers
to
either
one
of
those
you're
just
going
to
pray
about
it
and
you
know
the
Lord
can
tell
us
in
heaven
one
day
I'm
just
telling
you
questions
it
raises
for
me
it
also
raises
two
other
questions
when
he
says
to
fight
against
the
enemies
of
my
Lord
the
king
here
are
the
two
questions
who
is
this
king
he's
thinking
of
and
who
are
the
king's
enemies
I
think
there's
more
than
one
possibility
isn't
there
does
David
mean
that
Achish
is
David's
true
lord
and
true
king
when
David
uses
these
lines
it's
a
strategic
tool
it's
shifting
throughout
this book
based
on his
survival
needs
and the
context
he said
these words
many times
and there
are several
options
for what
it
could
mean
the
first
option
is
what
Achish
believes
he
means
that
yeah
he's
referring
to
Achish
as
his
lord
and
his
king
and
the
enemies
must
therefore
be
Saul
and
the
Israelites
that's
the
implied
meaning
but
the
second
option
is
to
see
how
else
has
David
used
those
exact
same
words
and
he's
used
them
toward
Saul
my
lord
the
king
he's
three
times
called
Saul
that
already
in
chapter
24
and
then
twice
in
chapter
26
is
it
my
voice
or
he
says
it
is
my
voice
my
lord
oh
king
remember
when he
yells
that
with
the
evidence
that
he
could
have
taken
Saul's
life
he
says
let
my
lord
the
king
hear
the
words
of
his
servant
and
if
his
lord
the
king
is
truly
Saul
then
who
are
Saul's
enemies
that's
who
David
should
be
fighting
why
won't
I
get
to
fight
my
lord
the
king's
David
is
deceiving
them
the
third
option
though
we
have
to
go
beyond
our
passage
and
even
beyond
this
book
is
that
David
has
a
different
lord
and
a
different
king
than
either
Achish
or
Saul
in
Psalm
5
2
David
addresses
God
this
way
give
heed
to
the
voice
of
my
cry
my
God
and
my
king
for
to
you
I
will
pray
and
then
also
in
Psalm
145
1
we
hear
I
will
extol
you
my
God
O
king
and
I
will
bless
your
name
forever
and
ever
if
the
Lord
God
is
his
king
then
who
are
the
enemies
Achish
is
just
sworn
by
Yahweh
David
has
a
trusting
relationship
and
at
the
same
time
Saul
is
the
king
that
the
Lord
has
anointed
for
now
and
that's
why
he
won't
take
his
life
so
who
are
the
Lord's
enemies
I
also
wondered
has
David
ever
referred
to
himself
this
way
as
Lord
and
king
and
the
answer
was
very
clear
from
all
I
could
tell
he
has
never
done
that
and
never
did
it
even
after
he
became
king
this
was
interesting
to
me
on
David's
use
of
words
so
for
example
in
Psalm
21
1
there's
only
a
couple
times
and
every
time
he
refers
to
David
as
the
king
it's
never
in
your
strength
O
Lord
how
greatly
shall
he
receive
in
your
salvation
he
will
rejoice
Psalm
1850
God
gives
great
deliverance
to
his
king
and
shows
mercy
to
his
anointed
so
when
he's
thinking
of
himself
as
king
it's
always
under
God
always
subservient
to
God
the
king
well
I'm
going to
let
some
of
those
questions
hang
with
you
as
they
have
with
me
for
now
and
let's
see
how
the
rest
of
this
chapter
ends
up
in
verse
nine
then
Achish
answered
and
said
to
David
I
know
that
you
are
as
good
in
my
sight
as
an
angel
of
God
nevertheless
the
princes
of
the
Philistines
have
said
he
shall
not
go
up
with
us
to
battle
see
despite
what
David
has
done
his
lying
and
deceiving
!
Achish
he's
declared
innocent
by
Achish
three
different
times
remember
how
the
princes
of
the
Philistines
called
David
a
Satan
well
here
now
Achish
calls
him
as
an
angel
from
God
verse
10
now
therefore
rise
early
in
the
morning
with
your
master's
servants
who
have
come
with
you
as
soon
as
you
are
up
early
in
the
morning
and
have
light
depart
even
though
David
seemed
to
protest
and
maybe
that
was
just
further
deception
to
play
it
cool
and act
like
he
wasn't
just
so
happy
to
get
out
of
there
he
still
gets
this
free
pass
God
makes
sure
that
David
will
not
die
in
this
battle
and
he
sent
away
early
in
the
morning
what
does
this
reveal
to
us
about
God
who
rules
over
all
Ephesians
1
11
reminds
us
that
God
works
all
things
according
to
the
counsel
of
his
will
confession
summarizes
the
teaching
of
scripture
that
God
does
his
will
according
to
his
infallible
foreknowledge
and the
free
and
immutable
counsel
of
his
own
will
to
the
praise
of
the
glory
of
God's
wisdom
God's
power
God's
justice
God's
infinite
goodness
and
God's
mercy
and
so
in
verse
11
David
and his
men
rose
early
they
depart
and
they
return
to
the
land
of
the
Philistines
this
is
the
land
set
apart
for
them
Ziklag
appointed
for
them
to
live
and
now
the
Philistines
go on
to
Jezreel
chapter
29
it's a
flashback
it's
before
or in
parallel
to all
of those
events
in chapter
28
and it
shows us
that
from
Saul's
perspective
in
28
he's
in
Jezreel
and he
knows
the
Philistines
are coming
down
to fight
him
and he
assumes
David
with the
600
plus
more
are
on
the
side
of
the
Philistines
and it's
doomsday
for him
and that's
what
Samuel
tells him
is going
to happen
but now
based on
what we
just read
David
left
before the
Philistines
even
descended
to
Jezreel
it gives
us more
insight
on the
darkness
that Saul
was in
spiritually
that which
Saul feared
most
which led
him to
consult
with the
witch
turns out
to be
unfounded
David
wasn't even
with them
the Lord
delivered
David
out of
this
decision
how foolish
I was
how can I
deliver myself
David had to
think but God
did it
see God is
sovereign even
over David's
weakness
over his
failures
and even
his sins
God determined
to set David
on the throne
and nothing
will deter
God from
accomplishing what
God has
decreed
God is
with David
still
the glory
of God
has not
departed
not because
of David
but despite
David
because of
God
God is
the one
who will
see it
through
we've
reached the
end of
this chapter
and you
see how
even though
it's short
in these
11 verses
the glory
of God
shines
brilliantly
we're
revealed
the mercy
and the
providence
of a loving
father
that will
accomplish
his decree
he will
fulfill
all of
his
promises
it's
God's
mercy
that
finds
David
and saves
David
again
and again
God's
inexhaustible
mercy
never
runs dry
it reminds
me of
Joseph
remember
when his
brothers
were trying
to you
know
kill him
and send
him away
and basically
his whole
life in
prison
because of
their
cruelty
but God's
providence
sustained
Joseph
in
Genesis
50
verse
20
Joseph
says
what you
intended
for evil
God
superintended
for good
through the
evil
through the
brokenness
our Lord
accomplishes
his purposes
our confession
again in
paragraph 2
on providence
although all
things come to
pass
unchangeably
and certainly
in relation
to the
foreknowledge
and the
decree
of God
who is
the first
cause
so that
nothing
happens
by chance
or outside
his providence
yet by the
same providence
God orders
them to
happen
according to
the nature
of second
causes
either
necessarily
freely
or contingently
this is saying
that those
wicked brothers
of Joseph
these
Philistine
princes that
are about
to go
and kill
Saul
they are
the secondary
means God
used to
redirect
David
to go
fight
who are
his real
enemies
the ones
the Lord
had told
him to
wipe out
which we'll
read about
next chapter
even these
Philistine
pagans
the Lord
can use
to accomplish
his decree
we read
this morning
Psalm 30
and we just
saw at the
end of this
chapter early
in the morning
David is sent
out after
being in a
terrible
dilemma
and this
Psalm
is a
wonderful
anthem
when we
see the
Lord
despite us
and our
weakness
and our
sin
it says
you have
turned
for me
my
mourning
into
dancing
you have
put my
sackcloth
and clothed
me with
gladness
to the
end that
my glory
may sing
praise to
you and
not be
silent
oh Lord
my God
I will
give thanks
to you
forever
some of
us today
are maybe
in that
dark
spiritual
state
when is
the morning
going to
come for
me
when will
all of
these mistakes
and sins
and problems
that I feel
so gravely
right now
when will
they find
resolution
have I
ruined
God's
plans
for my
life
you may
be asking
yourself
that same
question
David asked
what have
I done
and it's
good to
reflect on
that
that's
what
God asks
Eve in
the garden
you remember
after they
sinned
the Lord
God said
to the
woman
what is
this
you have
done
the Lord
does that
to open
up our
hearts
like a
surgeon
to cut
us open
to get
to the
heart
and to
expose
we have
done
evil
against
our
Lord
we
deserve
his
wrath
and
judgment
the
purpose
of the
Lord
in doing
that
is
so
that
he
can
then
apply
the
balm
the
healing
ointment
of the
gospel
of Jesus
Christ
the
enemy
wants
to
accuse
us
and never
let us
get
healed
accusing
us
of sins
we've
committed
what have
you
done
while the
enemy
has
has no
power
over us
there's a
true
conviction
by the
Holy
Spirit
to
think
about
my
life
think
about
my
actions
2
Corinthians
7
10
says
godly
sorrow
produces
repentance
leading
to
salvation
our
confession
in
chapter
15
paragraph
3
summarizes
the
gospel
response
this
way
when
this
godly
sorrow
is being
applied
to us
by the
spirit
it's
a
saving
repentance
in an
evangelical
grace
to us
it means
that this
person
is being
made
sensible
by god
of the
many
evils
of his
sin
by the
holy
spirit
and by
faith
in christ
we are
brought
to
humble
ourselves
for our
sins
with
godly
sorrow
with
detestation
of our
sin
with
self
abhorrence
and we
pray for
pardon
and for
strength
of grace
with a
purpose
and endeavor
by the
power
of the
spirit
to walk
before god
in all
well
pleasing
in all
things
what have
i done
for many
of us
it might
be a
similar
guilt
we feel
like we've
missed so
many opportunities
for good
works
and the
enemy wants
to accuse
you have
not done
enough
well
ephesians 2
8 and 9
remind us
that it's
by grace
that you
have been
saved
not by
works
lest anyone
should boast
even our
best works
the scripture
teaches
they cannot
merit the
pardon of
sin or
eternal life
from the
hand of
god
why can't
our good
works secure
salvation for
ourselves
it's because
of the great
disproportion
between our
works and
the glory to
come and
the infinite
distance between
us and
god
as far as
these works
are good
they proceed
from god
the holy
spirit
however as
they are
performed by
us they
are defiled
and mixed
with so
much weakness
and imperfection
that they
cannot endure
the severity
of god's
judgment
we have not
done enough
we need
an alien
righteousness
and at the
same time
we have done
great evil
we deserve
just punishment
for the sins
we've committed
our gracious
lord god
the only king
says to you
and me
no matter
what you
have done
no matter
what you
have not
done
look to
christ
see what
he has
done
for you
jonathan
pointed out
in our bible
study
the parallels
are at least
foreshadowing
possibly by
the supersession
of the holy
spirit
in a
previous chapter
david stood
before the
priest
and the
priest
declared
david to
be
innocent
and in
the morning
the priest
released
david
now achish
has done
the same
thing
he's declared
david
innocent
even though
david is
guilty
i believe
and in
the morning
he released
david
and what a
great reversal
of our lord
jesus christ
brought before
the sanhedrin
before pilot
our lord jesus
truly was
innocent
yet he was
condemned
to be
crucified
after going
through trial
all night
sent
to die
like a
criminal
taking the
wrath of
a wicked
man like
saul
that he
deserved
we sing
of god's
grace to
us in
many of
our favorite
hymns and
songs and
spiritual songs
nothing
can for
sin
atone
nothing
but the
blood
of jesus
not the
good that
i have
done
nothing
but the
blood
of jesus
it's the
life of
jesus
his active
obedience
that we
need
to cover
all that
we have
not done
and won't
do in
this life
and it's
also the
precious
blood of
jesus
shed for
us on
the cross
that covers
the great
evil
the sins
that we
have done
in this
life
we sing
what love
could remember
no wrongs
we have
done
omniscient
all-knowing
he counts
not
their sum
thrown into
a sea
without bottom
or shore
our sins
they are
many
his mercy
is more
god's
mercy
found
david
to save
him
again
and again
and because
god is
mercy
he finds
you and
me for
whom jesus
christ died
and rose
to save
us
he finds
us again
and again
may he
find you
today
with his
mercy
and i
invite you
on behalf
of the
church
on behalf
of christ
come
come oh
sinner
come
and mourn
for he calls
your sins
his own
do you feel
the weight
of justice
served
he suffers
the wrath
that you
deserve
so come
come oh
sinner
mourn
for he bears
the curse
for all
you've done
let's thank
our lord jesus
for his life
and also
for his
death
we no longer
have to
ask ourselves
what have
i done
we can
now look
to our
lord jesus
christ
and thank
him
for what
god
has
done
let's
pray
oh lord
you are
faithful
you are
merciful
you are
sovereign
over all
we praise
you for
who you
are lord
and how
you've
revealed
yourself
to us
so clearly
in the
gospel
of our
lord jesus
christ
we pray
that you
will apply
your truth
powerfully
lord to us
your people
for your
glory we
ask
amen