WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.860 Good afternoon everyone, my name is Ian and it's my privilege to take you through this very long psalm that Alistair read so well for us. 00:00:07.900 --> 00:00:12.640 Quite a difficult psalm in many ways, but I hope one that we'll gain a lot from. 00:00:13.359 --> 00:00:15.519 I want to start with a couple of questions. 00:00:16.519 --> 00:00:20.820 So the first question is, what is your view of the British Empire? 00:00:21.440 --> 00:00:24.039 Now some of you may say that's ancient history, I have no view at all. 00:00:24.240 --> 00:00:27.420 I'm sure some of you have reasonably strong views. 00:00:27.420 --> 00:00:33.700 Some of you may say the British Empire was a high point in our national history. 00:00:34.539 --> 00:00:40.500 When Britannia ruled not only the waves, but great swathes of the land around our world, 00:00:40.900 --> 00:00:45.420 and was able to bring to them civilisation and also the Christian message. 00:00:45.420 --> 00:01:00.560 Other people may say the British Empire was a prime example of white supremacism, of colonialism, of subduing people, of taking their freedom and their land. 00:01:01.160 --> 00:01:07.000 And I think perhaps if you went around the church you'd find both views, and certainly if you went out into the streets you'd find both views. 00:01:07.099 --> 00:01:09.420 It depends how you look at history. 00:01:09.420 --> 00:01:15.180 Second question, similarly, what do you think of Winston Churchill? 00:01:16.140 --> 00:01:23.879 Was Winston Churchill the greatest prime minister this country ever had, who saved us and the world from the scourge of Nazism? 00:01:24.920 --> 00:01:35.560 Or was he a drunken racist who had many miserable failures and only won the Second World War because the Americans came in and did all the hard work? 00:01:35.560 --> 00:01:39.719 Again, different views depending on how you look at it. 00:01:40.019 --> 00:01:41.700 Winston Churchill actually reviewed this. 00:01:42.019 --> 00:01:46.020 He said, history will be kind to me, for I intend to write it. 00:01:46.120 --> 00:01:48.799 And indeed he did write the history of the Second World War. 00:01:49.460 --> 00:01:55.700 But how we look at history very much depends on our vantage point in terms of what we take from it. 00:01:56.540 --> 00:02:00.060 Last week, if you were here, you may remember we were looking at Psalm 105. 00:02:00.060 --> 00:02:07.640 Psalm 105 is a great psalm of praise to God, looking back at all that God had done for Israel. 00:02:08.120 --> 00:02:15.580 It was all about the history of the nation of Israel, stopping roughly when they entered the Promised Land, and it was all about what God had done. 00:02:16.520 --> 00:02:25.640 And you'll remember that Nick Blair very powerfully invited us to reflect on what God has done in our lives and to thank him for it. 00:02:25.639 --> 00:02:30.979 Psalm 106, as you have gathered from when we read it, is very different. 00:02:31.799 --> 00:02:37.259 It's looking back at the history of Israel, but it's looking back more as a prayer of confession. 00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:42.379 Looking back on all the wrong things that the Israelites had done. 00:02:43.219 --> 00:02:46.459 Most likely it's written around the time of Daniel or maybe Nehemiah. 00:02:46.859 --> 00:02:51.879 And actually, if you go to the two books with their names, you'll find quite similar prayers of confession. 00:02:53.139 --> 00:02:55.199 Now, as we said, it's a very long psalm. 00:02:55.639 --> 00:02:57.199 So how do we get into it? 00:02:57.379 --> 00:03:01.779 I think over the last two summers, when we've been looking at book four of the book of Psalms, 00:03:01.959 --> 00:03:07.039 I've learned two very helpful things if you want to very quickly get to grips with the psalms. 00:03:07.639 --> 00:03:15.139 The first is, in a psalm, it's very often helpful to look at the beginning, to look at the end, and to look at the center. 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:19.679 So if we look at the beginning of this psalm and the end of this psalm, they're both the same. 00:03:19.959 --> 00:03:22.179 It is, praise the Lord. 00:03:22.379 --> 00:03:24.339 In the Hebrew, it's hallelujah. 00:03:24.340 --> 00:03:30.900 One of these Hebrew words that has come forward to English is hallelujah, is the way the psalmist begins and ends. 00:03:31.860 --> 00:03:36.099 In the 48th verse, Psalm, the middle verse is verses 24 and 25. 00:03:36.659 --> 00:03:44.080 And among other things, what they say is they did not believe his promise and did not obey the Lord. 00:03:44.080 --> 00:03:49.640 So the core of the psalm is the failure of the Israelites, God's people. 00:03:49.780 --> 00:03:50.880 They did not believe. 00:03:51.300 --> 00:03:52.840 They did not obey. 00:03:53.460 --> 00:03:56.939 And as we move out in the psalm, we see more and more of that. 00:03:56.939 --> 00:04:01.219 But that's not the only thing the psalmist wants us to remember. 00:04:01.460 --> 00:04:05.419 He wants us to start with God and to sing praises to God. 00:04:05.919 --> 00:04:10.520 And he wants us to end with God and sing praises to God. 00:04:11.219 --> 00:04:17.279 It's not a psalm that's just miserable how awful Israel's been and how hopeless the situation is. 00:04:17.279 --> 00:04:28.119 It's ultimately a psalm that says we have a great God and despite our failures, still God works among us and he shows us his grace and his mercy. 00:04:28.719 --> 00:04:30.459 And therefore, we should sing hallelujah. 00:04:30.599 --> 00:04:36.099 We should shout amen as we think of the wonders of our God. 00:04:36.100 --> 00:04:44.820 So if that's a very brief overview of the psalm, let me move on to the second thing I've learned over the last 16 months or so as we looked at the psalms. 00:04:45.260 --> 00:04:53.620 And that is that an awful lot of the psalms, if you look at the first half of the psalm and the second half of the psalm, there's a real symmetry of thought to them. 00:04:53.720 --> 00:04:58.879 Something that picks up in the first half of the psalm, if you look towards the end, it's there again. 00:04:58.879 --> 00:05:11.019 And so actually quite a good way with many of these psalms is to start in the middle and to work your way out and to see the parallels and the different bits of the psalm and then you get a good flavour of it. 00:05:11.100 --> 00:05:24.279 And I hope, we've got about 20 minutes to speak on the psalm this morning, I hope that we'll be able to do that and perhaps get a bit of an understanding of what the psalm is about, what it says about us and what it says about God. 00:05:24.279 --> 00:05:30.899 So we'll start, as I said, in the middle and the middle section is really verses 24 to 27. 00:05:31.839 --> 00:05:34.519 And I've headed these ones, disbelief. 00:05:35.579 --> 00:05:46.399 Now the historical incident here is the Israelites have been going through the wilderness, they've been going for maybe a couple of years and they're pretty close to the land of Canaan that they'd been promised. 00:05:46.659 --> 00:05:54.019 And they send 12 spies out and the spies go and they look around and they see and they say, yes, a land flowing with milk and honey as we've been promised. 00:05:54.279 --> 00:05:58.819 Look, here are all the grapes we've brought back, but we're never going to be able to take it. 00:05:59.459 --> 00:06:02.619 They've got these big fortified cities, they've got giants. 00:06:02.939 --> 00:06:08.879 There's no way that we in our puny state are going to be able to go in and take the land. 00:06:09.619 --> 00:06:14.819 They didn't believe that God was able to help them to do that. 00:06:15.479 --> 00:06:18.899 Some of you may remember the old children's chorus about this. 00:06:18.899 --> 00:06:26.759 It says, some saw giants strong and tall, some saw grapes in clusters fall, but some saw God was in it all. 00:06:27.459 --> 00:06:29.799 Ten were bad, two were good. 00:06:30.539 --> 00:06:39.000 But sadly the ten who were described here as bad, the ten who didn't believe they could take the land won the day with the people and they rebelled against Moses. 00:06:39.000 --> 00:06:48.740 And they spent the next 38 years passing around in the wilderness until that generation died out and the next generation went in and conquered the land. 00:06:49.360 --> 00:06:56.519 They had disbelief in what God had said he would do and they suffered the consequences of it. 00:06:57.720 --> 00:06:58.920 What do we learn from that? 00:06:59.439 --> 00:07:02.399 We learn that we must trust and obey God. 00:07:02.480 --> 00:07:04.540 That is what they failed in here, isn't it? 00:07:04.540 --> 00:07:06.439 They didn't believe his promises. 00:07:06.939 --> 00:07:09.939 They did not obey the Lord. 00:07:10.360 --> 00:07:14.160 They looked and they saw the difficulty and thought, this is far too hard for us. 00:07:14.540 --> 00:07:18.200 We're not going to do what Moses, as God's servant, has told us we should do. 00:07:18.500 --> 00:07:26.700 We're going to keep wandering around in circles and really getting nowhere because we don't believe the promises of God. 00:07:26.699 --> 00:07:37.800 That wrote him, for many of us, I'm sure, trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey. 00:07:38.379 --> 00:07:43.980 That might sound a bit cheesy, it might even sound a bit glib, but there's a great truth in it. 00:07:43.980 --> 00:07:55.600 Unless we have our trust, our confidence in Jesus, unless we're willing to obey him and to do what he sends us to do, 00:07:56.080 --> 00:08:01.379 we're never really going to have a real joy and satisfaction in our lives. 00:08:01.420 --> 00:08:08.379 We're not talking about big grins all the time, but we're talking about a real underlying satisfaction and joy in Jesus. 00:08:08.379 --> 00:08:13.360 And that only comes when we trust and obey. 00:08:13.759 --> 00:08:19.500 And how many of us can look back and think about times when we've failed to trust and obey? 00:08:20.180 --> 00:08:25.800 Over the last month, the staff team has been looking at a book by Rico Tice called Honest Evangelism. 00:08:25.920 --> 00:08:29.079 One of the summer small groups has been looking at that as well. 00:08:29.540 --> 00:08:31.959 And I've been really challenged by it. 00:08:31.959 --> 00:08:41.139 So I look back over my time in secular employment, and I think, how much did I really witness to those I worked alongside? 00:08:42.179 --> 00:08:46.100 Yes, they knew I was a Christian, they knew I had a faith, they knew I went to church, 00:08:46.519 --> 00:08:51.919 but it was kind of a lot of times on the level, well, you're a Christian, I play football, she's a musician. 00:08:52.460 --> 00:08:56.259 It was what I did, but didn't really have any impact on them. 00:08:56.259 --> 00:09:01.639 And I can look back and think many, many times when I've had opportunities to share my faith, 00:09:01.980 --> 00:09:05.100 to talk about Jesus to people, and I didn't do it. 00:09:05.139 --> 00:09:05.819 And why not? 00:09:06.159 --> 00:09:08.340 And Rico Tice really puts his finger on it. 00:09:08.600 --> 00:09:14.100 It is partly because I didn't trust, because I didn't believe that I could do it, 00:09:14.439 --> 00:09:18.340 that I didn't believe that if I did it, that they would listen to me or it would make any difference. 00:09:18.960 --> 00:09:21.039 And partly with just plain disobedience. 00:09:21.039 --> 00:09:29.099 That I knew that I should tell people the glorious message of the God who sent his son to die for us, 00:09:29.379 --> 00:09:31.980 and I just didn't do it. 00:09:32.759 --> 00:09:37.279 And that's exactly the same kind of thing as the Israelites are condemned for here. 00:09:37.639 --> 00:09:42.360 They knew what they should do, but they didn't believe that they could do it, 00:09:42.740 --> 00:09:45.599 and so they didn't obey God. 00:09:45.959 --> 00:09:47.639 So there's a challenge to all of us this morning. 00:09:47.639 --> 00:09:52.559 Do we really, when it comes to the bit, do we really trust in God when times are hard? 00:09:52.960 --> 00:09:55.699 Are we willing to obey him? 00:09:57.340 --> 00:10:01.399 Let's move out a bit, and I've called the next section Disloyalty. 00:10:01.699 --> 00:10:05.319 So if you've got your Bibles in front of you, this extends broadly from verse 16 to 23, 00:10:05.799 --> 00:10:10.139 and then the second half of the chapter from verses 28 to 31. 00:10:10.799 --> 00:10:14.559 So at the start of 16 to 23, the people rebel against Moses and Aaron. 00:10:14.720 --> 00:10:15.860 They're jealous of them. 00:10:15.860 --> 00:10:18.039 And then they rebel against God. 00:10:18.159 --> 00:10:20.139 Moses goes up the mountain to get the commandments. 00:10:20.779 --> 00:10:24.740 He comes down, and while he's been away, the people have built this golden calf, 00:10:25.000 --> 00:10:28.080 and they're worshipping it rather than God. 00:10:28.560 --> 00:10:32.159 And then in 28 to 31, again the people are rebelling. 00:10:32.360 --> 00:10:38.860 They're being disloyal to God, and they're particularly taking foreign wives and others into the camp 00:10:38.860 --> 00:10:42.659 and getting involved again in pagan worship. 00:10:42.879 --> 00:10:46.039 They are disloyal to God. 00:10:46.879 --> 00:10:50.919 Again, challenge to us, are we at times disloyal to God? 00:10:51.480 --> 00:10:57.659 What particularly struck me, though, about these verses was what is said about Moses and about Phineas. 00:10:58.440 --> 00:11:02.440 Moses stood, and Phineas stood. 00:11:02.440 --> 00:11:06.540 Moses stood in the breach, it says in the version that I have. 00:11:06.620 --> 00:11:11.680 He stood in the breach before him, that's before God, to keep his wrath from destroying them. 00:11:12.260 --> 00:11:16.900 In other words, as God saw the wickedness and disloyalty of the Israelites, 00:11:17.540 --> 00:11:20.400 and was minded just to have nothing more to do with them, 00:11:20.900 --> 00:11:25.360 Moses went and he prayed fervently, and he made a difference, 00:11:25.360 --> 00:11:31.100 as he pleaded with God to keep his covenant and to give his people another chance. 00:11:32.539 --> 00:11:35.220 Phineas stood up, it says, and he acted. 00:11:35.340 --> 00:11:40.560 What he actually did was to kill one of the Israelites who was particularly involved in the sin 00:11:40.560 --> 00:11:46.500 that the people have got involved in, and it was counted to him, it says, for righteousness. 00:11:47.480 --> 00:11:52.480 But the point is, when it came to the bit, and the people were in trouble, 00:11:52.480 --> 00:11:57.620 and in trouble because of their own sin, these two men were willing to get involved 00:11:57.620 --> 00:12:01.240 and to do what it took to sort things out. 00:12:01.800 --> 00:12:05.519 Moses by praying, Phineas by acting. 00:12:06.920 --> 00:12:08.159 And again, I was a bit challenged. 00:12:09.100 --> 00:12:12.980 When in our church we've got people who are going through times of difficulty, 00:12:13.680 --> 00:12:17.580 perhaps people who've fallen into sin, and that's become apparent, 00:12:18.340 --> 00:12:20.300 what is our response? 00:12:20.299 --> 00:12:27.959 Is our response to get on our knees before God and to pray fervently for those who have a real need 00:12:27.959 --> 00:12:31.779 and who particularly need the experience of his grace? 00:12:32.399 --> 00:12:36.419 Is it where it's necessary to take action, perhaps to go and have a quiet word with someone, 00:12:36.779 --> 00:12:40.879 or to make sure that they know what is right and what is wrong? 00:12:41.639 --> 00:12:46.319 Or do we at times just kind of ignore it and hope it goes away? 00:12:46.320 --> 00:12:57.000 We need to be willing to stand and to take whatever action it is to protect and to love and to care for each other 00:12:57.000 --> 00:13:02.180 as we go through difficult times and perhaps times of failure in our lives. 00:13:02.900 --> 00:13:07.379 After all, if we do that, are we not just doing exactly what Jesus did? 00:13:07.379 --> 00:13:13.159 Jesus came and he saw there was only one way in which our sins could be forgiven. 00:13:13.899 --> 00:13:17.679 And so he chose to go to the cross and to take our place. 00:13:18.539 --> 00:13:24.200 And still he is before God pleading for us, pleading the case of us miserable sinners, 00:13:24.679 --> 00:13:30.919 as he presents his own blood as being the thing through which God can forgive us. 00:13:30.919 --> 00:13:36.319 Let's stand together and when one is suffering or when one is going through a time where they've fallen, 00:13:36.799 --> 00:13:38.740 let's make sure we don't neglect them. 00:13:39.079 --> 00:13:42.819 Let's make sure we don't push them further away from God. 00:13:43.219 --> 00:13:48.259 Let's be on our knees and perhaps also actively helping them. 00:13:49.000 --> 00:13:52.659 So that was Israel's failure in disloyalty. 00:13:52.740 --> 00:13:55.299 Now we're moving fairly quickly this morning because this is a long passage. 00:13:55.779 --> 00:13:59.120 Let's move on to the next section which I've called discontent. 00:13:59.120 --> 00:14:03.100 The people of Israel were a miserable bunch. 00:14:03.840 --> 00:14:08.600 Moses led them out of Egypt, out of slavery, out of the horrendous circumstances they were in. 00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:13.240 And they never stopped complaining all the way through in the wilderness. 00:14:14.100 --> 00:14:16.580 How frustrating it must have been for Moses. 00:14:17.000 --> 00:14:23.440 How saddening it must have been for God that his people just didn't appreciate all that had been done for them. 00:14:23.960 --> 00:14:29.019 So in the first instance here in verses 13 to 15, the people have come to Moses and said, 00:14:29.120 --> 00:14:32.200 we can't stand this manna that God is giving us. 00:14:32.460 --> 00:14:38.600 Every day we have the same diet, this kind of bread type thing, and we don't like it, we're just fed up with it. 00:14:39.220 --> 00:14:45.240 And Moses prays to God and God sends quails to provide for them. 00:14:45.320 --> 00:14:47.720 We'll talk about what happens after that in a minute. 00:14:47.720 --> 00:14:52.000 In the second incident, the people are complaining about water again. 00:14:52.060 --> 00:14:53.740 This is a bit of a recurring theme through the water. 00:14:54.139 --> 00:14:54.879 We're a bit thirsty. 00:14:55.019 --> 00:14:56.980 Moses, you need to do something about it. 00:14:56.980 --> 00:15:01.840 We've been better off if we've been back in Egypt than being out in the wilderness here with you. 00:15:02.519 --> 00:15:05.160 In this case, Moses gets really frustrated. 00:15:06.139 --> 00:15:09.700 God tells him he's got to talk to the rock and water will come out of it. 00:15:10.100 --> 00:15:16.779 Moses hits the rock with a stick and water comes out, but it has consequences for him. 00:15:16.779 --> 00:15:20.500 In both cases, the people were discontented. 00:15:21.199 --> 00:15:22.500 They asked for something. 00:15:23.000 --> 00:15:24.019 They got it. 00:15:24.600 --> 00:15:27.100 But then there were consequences. 00:15:28.439 --> 00:15:29.919 So verse 15 says, 00:15:30.240 --> 00:15:32.980 God gave them what they asked for, but. 00:15:33.579 --> 00:15:36.100 But he sent a wasting plague on them. 00:15:36.159 --> 00:15:39.500 Many people fell ill and died as a result. 00:15:40.299 --> 00:15:42.399 He gave them the water they wanted at the end, 00:15:42.399 --> 00:15:48.319 but it came at a great cost to Moses because Moses was no longer able to lead them into the promised land 00:15:48.319 --> 00:15:51.419 because he had disobeyed God. 00:15:52.019 --> 00:15:53.980 God gave them what they wanted, 00:15:54.579 --> 00:15:56.259 but what they wanted wasn't right, 00:15:56.659 --> 00:15:59.519 and that had consequences for them. 00:16:00.799 --> 00:16:03.439 Is there a parallel in that in our society today? 00:16:03.440 --> 00:16:10.800 We have things that people in previous generations couldn't even have dreamed of. 00:16:11.240 --> 00:16:13.300 The amount of technology we have, 00:16:13.640 --> 00:16:15.840 the comfort that most of us live in, 00:16:16.200 --> 00:16:17.980 the possessions that we have, 00:16:18.240 --> 00:16:21.860 even if we're not, in terms of this country, particularly well off. 00:16:22.160 --> 00:16:25.720 These are far more than people had in the past. 00:16:26.540 --> 00:16:29.300 And yet we still want more. 00:16:29.299 --> 00:16:31.819 It's still not enough for us. 00:16:31.899 --> 00:16:33.099 We're a greedy society. 00:16:33.240 --> 00:16:37.240 As individuals, probably we're greedy as well. 00:16:38.459 --> 00:16:40.120 And that has consequences. 00:16:40.279 --> 00:16:42.240 Yes, we've got what we want in many ways. 00:16:42.579 --> 00:16:43.699 I want to buy something. 00:16:43.819 --> 00:16:44.439 I go to Amazon. 00:16:44.599 --> 00:16:45.879 If I can afford it, I get it. 00:16:46.079 --> 00:16:48.159 And it keeps me happy for a very short time. 00:16:49.019 --> 00:16:50.500 But it means we're in a society 00:16:50.500 --> 00:16:53.679 where really people have this unhappiness, 00:16:53.899 --> 00:16:55.559 discontent with their circumstances. 00:16:55.719 --> 00:16:56.979 They always want more. 00:16:56.980 --> 00:17:00.379 They always want what other people have. 00:17:01.159 --> 00:17:03.960 As I said, the immediate context of verse 15 00:17:03.960 --> 00:17:07.120 was God sending a physical plague on the Israelites. 00:17:08.099 --> 00:17:10.039 But a lot of people, when they look at this, 00:17:10.140 --> 00:17:11.599 think it wasn't just that, 00:17:11.819 --> 00:17:14.680 that God was doing. 00:17:15.079 --> 00:17:17.940 So Alec Mottier, one of the great Old Testament commentators, 00:17:18.079 --> 00:17:19.120 translates this verse. 00:17:19.200 --> 00:17:20.900 He says he gave them their request 00:17:20.900 --> 00:17:25.360 and sent emaciation into their souls. 00:17:26.380 --> 00:17:28.600 Not physical suffering he is talking about. 00:17:29.320 --> 00:17:31.420 It is emaciation, degradation, 00:17:32.040 --> 00:17:35.780 and misery within their souls. 00:17:36.360 --> 00:17:39.160 And that is very much, I think, the case today in our society. 00:17:39.300 --> 00:17:42.620 People have everything they could possibly want in many cases. 00:17:43.080 --> 00:17:44.200 Still they want more. 00:17:44.700 --> 00:17:46.360 Still they're not happy. 00:17:46.359 --> 00:17:49.579 Donald Coggan was an Ashbury's of a country, 00:17:49.659 --> 00:17:51.299 I think about 20, 25 years ago now, 00:17:51.419 --> 00:17:52.959 a fine evangelical Christian. 00:17:53.399 --> 00:17:56.279 And he wrote this about this verse from Psalm 96. 00:17:57.379 --> 00:17:57.759 He says, 00:17:57.879 --> 00:18:00.539 We're breeding a race unable to think, 00:18:01.259 --> 00:18:03.039 fed on misleading soundbites, 00:18:03.899 --> 00:18:05.659 unable to endure silence, 00:18:06.539 --> 00:18:07.599 unable to ponder, 00:18:08.399 --> 00:18:10.199 still less to pray. 00:18:10.200 --> 00:18:15.080 A wasting disease is on the rampage. 00:18:15.160 --> 00:18:16.460 And I don't think in the last 20 years 00:18:16.460 --> 00:18:17.900 that's really changed very much. 00:18:17.980 --> 00:18:19.539 And Coggan goes on to talk about the press 00:18:19.539 --> 00:18:21.500 and the things we want to read in them 00:18:21.500 --> 00:18:23.880 or see on the television and so on. 00:18:24.440 --> 00:18:25.700 Have we as a society, 00:18:25.860 --> 00:18:26.460 and more importantly, 00:18:26.600 --> 00:18:27.680 have we as individuals 00:18:27.680 --> 00:18:29.779 got this kind of wasting disease? 00:18:29.900 --> 00:18:30.740 We've got what we want, 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:33.519 we can get by and large the things we aspire to. 00:18:34.080 --> 00:18:35.600 And yet in our souls, 00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:37.180 have we lost it? 00:18:37.259 --> 00:18:39.240 Have we lost that dependence on God? 00:18:39.240 --> 00:18:40.859 Have we lost that joy 00:18:40.859 --> 00:18:42.579 that we can have in God 00:18:42.579 --> 00:18:44.339 when we know that everything we have 00:18:44.339 --> 00:18:45.059 is through him 00:18:45.059 --> 00:18:48.720 and that we depend wholly upon him? 00:18:49.620 --> 00:18:50.660 We've got what we ask for, 00:18:50.740 --> 00:18:52.400 we've got what we want in many ways, 00:18:53.039 --> 00:18:55.339 but what has been the impact for us? 00:18:55.380 --> 00:18:56.599 I'll leave you to think about that 00:18:56.599 --> 00:18:58.079 in your own life. 00:19:00.059 --> 00:19:02.319 Finally, as we're thinking about the Israelites, 00:19:02.500 --> 00:19:03.319 and we will come on to something 00:19:03.319 --> 00:19:05.339 a bit more positive in a minute, 00:19:05.960 --> 00:19:08.099 the last thing I've called disobedience. 00:19:08.099 --> 00:19:09.879 Now this is two quite substantial sections, 00:19:09.959 --> 00:19:11.339 we're going to go over them very quickly, 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:13.719 but two quite substantial periods 00:19:13.719 --> 00:19:14.740 of Israel's history. 00:19:15.319 --> 00:19:16.819 The one is when they were in Egypt, 00:19:16.959 --> 00:19:18.119 remember they went down to Egypt 00:19:18.119 --> 00:19:20.319 with Joseph and Jacob and the family, 00:19:20.819 --> 00:19:22.819 and then over time they became slaves, 00:19:23.159 --> 00:19:24.279 and then the second is after 00:19:24.279 --> 00:19:25.719 they went into the promised land, 00:19:25.939 --> 00:19:27.359 and it probably takes us right through, 00:19:27.419 --> 00:19:29.679 as I said, to the time of Jeremiah, Daniel, 00:19:29.959 --> 00:19:31.139 even on to Nehemiah. 00:19:31.140 --> 00:19:33.460 And the psalmist looks back, 00:19:33.800 --> 00:19:34.800 and he says, 00:19:35.180 --> 00:19:36.700 we have sinned. 00:19:36.960 --> 00:19:37.900 Reading of verse 6, 00:19:38.200 --> 00:19:38.880 we have sinned, 00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:39.860 we have done wrong, 00:19:40.140 --> 00:19:42.160 and acted wickedly. 00:19:42.740 --> 00:19:44.500 And he goes on to talk about 00:19:44.500 --> 00:19:46.720 how the people didn't remember God's kindness, 00:19:47.100 --> 00:19:49.400 how they didn't want to obey him 00:19:49.400 --> 00:19:50.860 in crossing the Red Sea. 00:19:51.759 --> 00:19:53.960 Even worse towards the end of the chapter, 00:19:54.600 --> 00:19:56.520 the people of God promised them, 00:19:56.800 --> 00:19:57.720 they're in the promised land, 00:19:57.720 --> 00:19:58.920 Joshua's taken in there. 00:19:59.000 --> 00:20:00.339 They've seen these great victories, 00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:02.259 but they don't finish the job. 00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:05.860 They don't make sure that the land is purged 00:20:05.860 --> 00:20:06.740 of the other nations, 00:20:06.819 --> 00:20:07.779 and we drag them down, 00:20:08.100 --> 00:20:09.960 and so over time they get dragged 00:20:09.960 --> 00:20:11.819 into the culture of the other nations. 00:20:12.420 --> 00:20:13.360 And you have idolatry, 00:20:13.480 --> 00:20:14.200 you have immorality, 00:20:14.700 --> 00:20:16.059 even child sacrifices, 00:20:16.059 --> 00:20:18.579 all sorts of terrible things going on 00:20:18.579 --> 00:20:21.100 because the people hadn't obeyed God 00:20:21.100 --> 00:20:23.880 and continued not to obey him. 00:20:24.819 --> 00:20:26.000 Miserable, isn't it? 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:27.519 Except, 00:20:28.440 --> 00:20:29.980 both the beginning of the chapter 00:20:29.980 --> 00:20:31.920 and the end of the chapter, 00:20:32.380 --> 00:20:35.539 it talks about how God saved his people. 00:20:37.059 --> 00:20:37.539 Verse 8, 00:20:37.579 --> 00:20:39.099 He saved them for his name's sake 00:20:39.099 --> 00:20:40.440 to make his mighty power known. 00:20:40.539 --> 00:20:42.220 He rebuked the Red Sea and dried it up, 00:20:42.500 --> 00:20:43.500 and so on, 00:20:43.799 --> 00:20:44.920 and so on. 00:20:45.940 --> 00:20:47.599 And then towards the end of the chapter, 00:20:47.720 --> 00:20:49.400 it talks about God was angry, 00:20:49.880 --> 00:20:52.380 and he let nations oppress them, 00:20:52.380 --> 00:20:53.380 but it says, 00:20:53.520 --> 00:20:55.380 Yet he took note of their distress 00:20:55.380 --> 00:20:57.020 when he heard their cry. 00:20:57.540 --> 00:20:58.540 For their sake, 00:20:58.820 --> 00:21:00.220 he remembered his covenant. 00:21:00.840 --> 00:21:02.240 Out of his great love, 00:21:02.600 --> 00:21:03.820 he relented. 00:21:04.820 --> 00:21:06.960 Isn't it wonderful that we've got a God 00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:08.280 who when we fail, 00:21:08.540 --> 00:21:09.260 and fail, 00:21:09.480 --> 00:21:10.500 and fail again, 00:21:10.980 --> 00:21:12.540 when we turn back to him, 00:21:13.020 --> 00:21:14.720 when we recognize our failure, 00:21:15.160 --> 00:21:17.320 he's always willing to take us back 00:21:17.319 --> 00:21:18.839 and to restore us 00:21:18.839 --> 00:21:21.240 into a relationship with him. 00:21:22.439 --> 00:21:23.539 I was struck in this section 00:21:23.539 --> 00:21:24.639 by two phrases. 00:21:25.399 --> 00:21:26.059 In the first bit, 00:21:26.099 --> 00:21:26.799 it talks about 00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:27.799 how God doing something 00:21:27.799 --> 00:21:29.119 for his name's sake, 00:21:29.500 --> 00:21:30.980 and then in the second section, 00:21:31.220 --> 00:21:32.679 it talks about him doing something 00:21:32.679 --> 00:21:34.000 for their sake. 00:21:34.359 --> 00:21:34.879 That is, 00:21:35.159 --> 00:21:35.700 the Israelites. 00:21:37.139 --> 00:21:38.879 God wants to be seen 00:21:38.879 --> 00:21:40.220 as the great God of heaven, 00:21:40.319 --> 00:21:41.980 as the one who is in control, 00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:44.059 and who keeps his promises, 00:21:44.539 --> 00:21:46.079 and who looks after his people, 00:21:46.079 --> 00:21:48.240 and the psalmist says, 00:21:48.519 --> 00:21:49.699 for his name's sake, 00:21:49.899 --> 00:21:51.619 he didn't let them rot in Egypt 00:21:51.619 --> 00:21:53.079 and stay a slave forever. 00:21:53.539 --> 00:21:54.519 For his name's sake, 00:21:54.559 --> 00:21:56.059 he made the way for them 00:21:56.059 --> 00:21:56.839 to be released 00:21:56.839 --> 00:21:58.099 and to go on 00:21:58.099 --> 00:21:59.500 to the promised land. 00:22:00.839 --> 00:22:02.000 But then for their sake, 00:22:02.399 --> 00:22:03.500 at the end of the chapter, 00:22:03.639 --> 00:22:04.460 for their sake, 00:22:04.759 --> 00:22:06.199 despite all their years 00:22:06.199 --> 00:22:07.480 and years of failure, 00:22:08.000 --> 00:22:09.679 despite everything that they'd done 00:22:09.679 --> 00:22:10.980 that was against God's will 00:22:10.980 --> 00:22:12.859 and was disobedient to it, 00:22:13.619 --> 00:22:14.579 for their sake, 00:22:14.579 --> 00:22:16.460 he remembered his covenant 00:22:16.460 --> 00:22:18.619 and out of his great love 00:22:18.619 --> 00:22:20.159 he relented. 00:22:20.939 --> 00:22:22.339 That's the God we have. 00:22:23.039 --> 00:22:24.819 A God who is all-powerful 00:22:24.819 --> 00:22:26.439 and in control 00:22:26.439 --> 00:22:27.679 and he does things 00:22:27.679 --> 00:22:28.659 for his name's sake 00:22:28.659 --> 00:22:29.539 so that he may be seen 00:22:29.539 --> 00:22:30.939 to be the great God of heaven. 00:22:31.519 --> 00:22:33.299 He does things for our sake 00:22:33.299 --> 00:22:35.059 so that we may enjoy 00:22:35.059 --> 00:22:36.339 a relationship with him 00:22:36.339 --> 00:22:38.000 so that we may be forgiven 00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:40.819 despite all our failures. 00:22:40.819 --> 00:22:42.659 When we look at the life 00:22:42.659 --> 00:22:43.439 of the Lord Jesus, 00:22:44.119 --> 00:22:46.460 why did Jesus come to this earth? 00:22:46.839 --> 00:22:48.700 Why did he go to the cross for us? 00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:50.799 He did it for his father's sake 00:22:50.799 --> 00:22:51.879 so that God's name 00:22:51.879 --> 00:22:53.139 might be glorified. 00:22:53.679 --> 00:22:54.539 So that the God 00:22:54.539 --> 00:22:55.839 who is a God of love 00:22:55.839 --> 00:22:57.059 and of compassion 00:22:57.059 --> 00:22:58.759 would be seen to be that, 00:22:58.879 --> 00:23:00.200 not just a God of judgment 00:23:00.200 --> 00:23:02.819 as people might have thought of him. 00:23:03.220 --> 00:23:04.460 That people around the world, 00:23:04.619 --> 00:23:05.759 countless multitudes, 00:23:06.059 --> 00:23:07.079 would come to worship 00:23:07.079 --> 00:23:08.659 the great God of heaven 00:23:08.659 --> 00:23:10.119 and to praise him 00:23:10.119 --> 00:23:11.299 for who he is. 00:23:12.119 --> 00:23:13.259 And he did it for our sake. 00:23:13.699 --> 00:23:14.939 He did it for my sake. 00:23:15.460 --> 00:23:17.079 He went to the cross at Calvary. 00:23:17.599 --> 00:23:19.319 He took my sins on himself 00:23:19.319 --> 00:23:21.179 so that I could be forgiven, 00:23:21.759 --> 00:23:22.779 so that I could have 00:23:22.779 --> 00:23:24.699 a relationship with God. 00:23:26.359 --> 00:23:28.279 Haven't we got a wonderful saviour 00:23:28.279 --> 00:23:29.960 who was willing to come 00:23:29.960 --> 00:23:31.799 to die on the cross for us 00:23:31.799 --> 00:23:32.779 and for our sake 00:23:32.779 --> 00:23:35.359 as well as for his father's sake 00:23:35.359 --> 00:23:36.879 to give his life 00:23:36.879 --> 00:23:39.019 for our redemption? 00:23:40.740 --> 00:23:42.000 I've only got a few minutes left. 00:23:42.079 --> 00:23:42.859 Let's look briefly 00:23:42.859 --> 00:23:43.740 at the beginning and end 00:23:43.740 --> 00:23:44.579 of the psalm, 00:23:44.679 --> 00:23:46.559 which are the really positive bits, 00:23:46.659 --> 00:23:47.139 if you like. 00:23:47.740 --> 00:23:48.519 I've called this section 00:23:48.519 --> 00:23:50.539 Prayer and Praise. 00:23:51.339 --> 00:23:54.079 So verses 45 and verse 47 00:23:54.079 --> 00:23:56.079 are the psalmist's prayer. 00:23:56.819 --> 00:23:57.659 It is a prayer 00:23:57.659 --> 00:23:59.240 that he and his people 00:23:59.240 --> 00:24:01.319 might be remembered by God 00:24:01.319 --> 00:24:03.740 and might be saved by him. 00:24:03.740 --> 00:24:05.359 And in his prayer, 00:24:05.680 --> 00:24:07.079 he hangs on to the things 00:24:07.079 --> 00:24:08.960 that he knows about God. 00:24:09.579 --> 00:24:10.920 He knows that God 00:24:10.920 --> 00:24:12.279 is a God who saves, 00:24:12.940 --> 00:24:13.859 who again and again 00:24:13.859 --> 00:24:14.900 has saved his people 00:24:14.900 --> 00:24:15.940 when they turn to him 00:24:15.940 --> 00:24:18.180 and is able still to save. 00:24:18.839 --> 00:24:20.440 He knows that he is a God 00:24:20.440 --> 00:24:21.640 who is bounteous 00:24:21.640 --> 00:24:22.559 in his generosity 00:24:22.559 --> 00:24:23.960 to his people. 00:24:24.480 --> 00:24:25.059 And he said, 00:24:25.120 --> 00:24:26.000 I want to enjoy 00:24:26.000 --> 00:24:26.759 the prosperity 00:24:26.759 --> 00:24:28.259 of your chosen ones 00:24:28.259 --> 00:24:29.579 that I may share 00:24:29.579 --> 00:24:31.500 in the joy of your nation, 00:24:31.500 --> 00:24:32.759 and join your inheritance 00:24:32.759 --> 00:24:34.400 in giving praise. 00:24:34.740 --> 00:24:35.900 He hangs on to the fact 00:24:35.900 --> 00:24:37.180 that God is loving, 00:24:37.380 --> 00:24:38.460 God is generous, 00:24:39.180 --> 00:24:41.140 and he thinks about God's glory 00:24:41.140 --> 00:24:42.279 part of the purpose 00:24:42.279 --> 00:24:42.880 of his prayer. 00:24:43.200 --> 00:24:43.980 Verse 47, 00:24:44.119 --> 00:24:45.559 that we may give thanks 00:24:45.559 --> 00:24:46.619 to your holy name 00:24:46.619 --> 00:24:49.539 and glory in your praise. 00:24:50.339 --> 00:24:50.960 The psalmist is coming 00:24:50.960 --> 00:24:51.819 with a great prayer 00:24:51.819 --> 00:24:52.579 of confession 00:24:52.579 --> 00:24:53.500 and recognizing 00:24:54.019 --> 00:24:55.119 the utter failure 00:24:55.119 --> 00:24:56.460 of the people. 00:24:57.380 --> 00:24:58.339 And yet he's coming 00:24:58.339 --> 00:24:59.079 with a knowledge 00:24:59.079 --> 00:25:00.639 that God will listen to him, 00:25:00.980 --> 00:25:01.960 that God will save, 00:25:02.099 --> 00:25:03.179 that God will be generous, 00:25:03.740 --> 00:25:04.740 that God ultimately 00:25:04.740 --> 00:25:05.839 will bring glory 00:25:05.839 --> 00:25:07.079 to his name. 00:25:09.619 --> 00:25:10.579 And then there's the praise. 00:25:11.139 --> 00:25:12.619 Why should the psalmist praise? 00:25:12.960 --> 00:25:13.740 Well, he says, 00:25:14.079 --> 00:25:15.139 I praise God 00:25:15.139 --> 00:25:19.319 because of his unending love. 00:25:19.639 --> 00:25:21.059 Give thanks to the Lord 00:25:21.059 --> 00:25:22.419 for he is good. 00:25:23.339 --> 00:25:26.759 His love endures forever. 00:25:26.759 --> 00:25:28.799 And then he thinks 00:25:28.799 --> 00:25:32.240 about God's unlimited power. 00:25:33.019 --> 00:25:34.099 Who can proclaim 00:25:34.099 --> 00:25:36.440 the mighty acts of the Lord 00:25:36.440 --> 00:25:39.599 or fully declare his praises? 00:25:40.480 --> 00:25:41.119 And then he thinks 00:25:41.119 --> 00:25:42.500 of God's unfailing justice. 00:25:42.660 --> 00:25:43.240 Blessed are those 00:25:43.240 --> 00:25:43.940 who act justly, 00:25:44.000 --> 00:25:45.059 always do what is right 00:25:45.059 --> 00:25:46.839 because the implication is 00:25:46.839 --> 00:25:48.640 because they're doing 00:25:48.640 --> 00:25:51.140 what our God does. 00:25:51.140 --> 00:25:54.420 A psalmist wants to end 00:25:54.420 --> 00:25:55.500 as he began 00:25:55.500 --> 00:25:56.940 with praising God. 00:25:57.040 --> 00:25:58.080 And so in verse 14, 00:25:58.200 --> 00:25:58.500 he says, 00:25:58.600 --> 00:25:59.500 Praise be to the Lord, 00:25:59.580 --> 00:26:00.320 the God of Israel, 00:26:00.400 --> 00:26:01.920 from everlasting to everlasting. 00:26:02.560 --> 00:26:04.020 Let all the people say, 00:26:04.200 --> 00:26:04.540 Amen. 00:26:05.400 --> 00:26:06.900 Praise the Lord. 00:26:08.220 --> 00:26:08.880 And we want to leave 00:26:08.880 --> 00:26:09.380 this psalm 00:26:09.380 --> 00:26:10.420 not just thinking about 00:26:10.420 --> 00:26:11.440 the failure of the Israelites 00:26:11.440 --> 00:26:12.540 and the failure 00:26:12.540 --> 00:26:13.520 that we have had. 00:26:13.940 --> 00:26:15.280 We need to leave this psalm 00:26:15.280 --> 00:26:15.840 and need to leave 00:26:15.840 --> 00:26:16.920 this book of psalms 00:26:16.920 --> 00:26:18.200 that we've been looking at 00:26:18.200 --> 00:26:19.680 for Psalm 90 through to 106 00:26:19.680 --> 00:26:20.320 that we've looked at 00:26:20.320 --> 00:26:21.400 over the last year or so. 00:26:21.680 --> 00:26:22.820 We want to leave it 00:26:22.820 --> 00:26:25.080 with a great hymn of praise 00:26:25.080 --> 00:26:26.019 to our God, 00:26:26.160 --> 00:26:28.920 recognising how great he is. 00:26:29.740 --> 00:26:31.140 But at the same time, 00:26:31.600 --> 00:26:32.660 we need to recognise 00:26:32.660 --> 00:26:34.360 our weakness. 00:26:35.640 --> 00:26:37.380 We started by thinking 00:26:37.380 --> 00:26:38.100 about history, 00:26:38.660 --> 00:26:40.299 the history of our nation, 00:26:40.759 --> 00:26:42.480 the history of Israel. 00:26:43.360 --> 00:26:45.840 Let's end with our personal history. 00:26:46.960 --> 00:26:48.779 As I look back over my life, 00:26:48.779 --> 00:26:50.500 I can see many, 00:26:50.720 --> 00:26:51.399 many times 00:26:51.399 --> 00:26:52.740 I've failed God. 00:26:53.259 --> 00:26:54.200 I talked about some earlier 00:26:54.200 --> 00:26:55.160 in my times of my witness. 00:26:55.859 --> 00:26:56.720 I could equally have talked 00:26:56.720 --> 00:26:57.700 about my prayerlessness. 00:26:58.279 --> 00:26:58.980 I could have talked 00:26:58.980 --> 00:27:00.180 about my impurities. 00:27:00.799 --> 00:27:01.740 I could have talked 00:27:01.740 --> 00:27:02.680 about my thoughtlessness 00:27:02.680 --> 00:27:03.359 at times. 00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:04.859 Many, many other things. 00:27:05.139 --> 00:27:05.859 I can look back 00:27:05.859 --> 00:27:06.680 and as I look back 00:27:06.680 --> 00:27:07.119 on my life, 00:27:07.180 --> 00:27:07.779 maybe this happens 00:27:07.779 --> 00:27:08.700 more as you get older, 00:27:09.059 --> 00:27:10.859 I become more and more aware 00:27:10.859 --> 00:27:12.079 of the ways in which 00:27:12.079 --> 00:27:13.119 I've failed God 00:27:13.119 --> 00:27:14.779 and I've done things 00:27:14.779 --> 00:27:16.539 that are not right. 00:27:16.539 --> 00:27:18.299 But then I look back 00:27:18.299 --> 00:27:18.859 at my life 00:27:18.859 --> 00:27:20.019 and I think, 00:27:20.420 --> 00:27:21.599 I am so blessed 00:27:21.599 --> 00:27:22.680 by God 00:27:22.680 --> 00:27:24.659 that despite my fail, 00:27:24.740 --> 00:27:26.139 despite my inadequacy, 00:27:26.579 --> 00:27:28.039 he chose to draw me 00:27:28.039 --> 00:27:28.659 to him, 00:27:29.220 --> 00:27:29.879 that I was brought 00:27:29.879 --> 00:27:30.599 to a faith 00:27:30.599 --> 00:27:31.859 in the Lord Jesus. 00:27:32.039 --> 00:27:33.000 I have the assurance 00:27:33.000 --> 00:27:34.420 of eternal life 00:27:34.420 --> 00:27:34.960 through him. 00:27:35.440 --> 00:27:36.480 I have all the blessings 00:27:36.480 --> 00:27:37.359 he gave me physically, 00:27:37.480 --> 00:27:38.240 a wonderful wife 00:27:38.240 --> 00:27:38.899 and family 00:27:38.899 --> 00:27:40.420 and all the possessions, 00:27:41.099 --> 00:27:42.139 a great church 00:27:42.139 --> 00:27:43.259 where I can enjoy 00:27:43.259 --> 00:27:43.740 fellowship 00:27:43.740 --> 00:27:44.960 and the support 00:27:44.960 --> 00:27:45.960 of others. 00:27:47.140 --> 00:27:47.839 I'm a failure 00:27:47.839 --> 00:27:49.500 but God 00:27:49.500 --> 00:27:50.779 is great. 00:27:51.380 --> 00:27:51.940 And let's leave 00:27:51.940 --> 00:27:52.599 with that thought 00:27:52.599 --> 00:27:52.980 this morning. 00:27:53.039 --> 00:27:53.920 We're going a few minutes 00:27:53.920 --> 00:27:55.120 to be taking communion 00:27:55.120 --> 00:27:55.640 together. 00:27:56.059 --> 00:27:56.960 We're going to be thinking 00:27:56.960 --> 00:27:58.019 of what the Lord Jesus 00:27:58.019 --> 00:27:59.680 has done for us. 00:28:00.359 --> 00:28:01.180 Let's do it 00:28:01.180 --> 00:28:02.319 with humble hearts 00:28:02.319 --> 00:28:03.940 as we recognize 00:28:03.940 --> 00:28:05.599 just how miserable, 00:28:05.839 --> 00:28:06.819 how much of a failure 00:28:06.819 --> 00:28:07.779 that we've been 00:28:07.779 --> 00:28:08.559 in many ways 00:28:08.559 --> 00:28:09.660 in our lives. 00:28:10.120 --> 00:28:10.819 But let's do it 00:28:10.819 --> 00:28:11.859 with joyful hearts 00:28:11.859 --> 00:28:12.779 as we think 00:28:12.779 --> 00:28:13.379 of what God 00:28:13.379 --> 00:28:14.399 has done for us 00:28:14.399 --> 00:28:16.139 and the daily blessings 00:28:16.139 --> 00:28:17.439 that he is willing 00:28:17.439 --> 00:28:18.879 to give for us. 00:28:19.439 --> 00:28:20.279 And let's make sure 00:28:20.279 --> 00:28:21.359 that our confidence 00:28:21.359 --> 00:28:22.219 is in him. 00:28:22.859 --> 00:28:23.899 Trust and obey 00:28:23.899 --> 00:28:25.339 was our first point. 00:28:25.899 --> 00:28:26.679 Let's make sure 00:28:26.679 --> 00:28:27.599 that we are trusting 00:28:27.599 --> 00:28:27.879 in him, 00:28:27.939 --> 00:28:28.419 that we're trusting 00:28:28.419 --> 00:28:29.119 in Lord Jesus 00:28:29.119 --> 00:28:29.979 for salvation 00:28:29.979 --> 00:28:31.159 through his death 00:28:31.159 --> 00:28:31.659 on the cross, 00:28:31.740 --> 00:28:32.619 that we're trusting him 00:28:32.619 --> 00:28:34.000 in our daily lives 00:28:34.000 --> 00:28:35.240 and that we're being 00:28:35.240 --> 00:28:36.359 obedient to him 00:28:36.359 --> 00:28:37.579 as we seek 00:28:37.579 --> 00:28:39.199 to live for him. 00:28:39.699 --> 00:28:40.539 Let's pray together. 00:28:41.859 --> 00:28:44.699 Father, 00:28:44.779 --> 00:28:45.179 we thank you 00:28:45.179 --> 00:28:45.639 for your word 00:28:45.639 --> 00:28:46.240 to us this morning. 00:28:46.319 --> 00:28:46.699 We thank you 00:28:46.699 --> 00:28:47.319 for the psalm 00:28:47.319 --> 00:28:48.199 which in many ways 00:28:48.199 --> 00:28:49.279 is quite dark 00:28:49.279 --> 00:28:50.839 and talks about 00:28:50.839 --> 00:28:52.539 some really sad periods 00:28:52.539 --> 00:28:53.359 in the history 00:28:53.359 --> 00:28:54.079 of your people. 00:28:54.859 --> 00:28:55.619 And yet we thank you 00:28:55.619 --> 00:28:56.699 that shining through it 00:28:56.699 --> 00:28:57.699 and the things 00:28:57.699 --> 00:28:58.259 that the psalmist 00:28:58.259 --> 00:28:59.039 really wants us 00:28:59.039 --> 00:28:59.899 to focus on 00:28:59.899 --> 00:29:00.859 as he begins 00:29:00.859 --> 00:29:01.559 and ends it 00:29:01.559 --> 00:29:02.719 is the greatness 00:29:02.719 --> 00:29:04.079 of our God. 00:29:04.619 --> 00:29:05.119 We thank you 00:29:05.119 --> 00:29:06.019 for your glory, 00:29:06.539 --> 00:29:07.479 for your majesty, 00:29:08.219 --> 00:29:10.019 for your power, 00:29:10.019 --> 00:29:11.359 and above all 00:29:11.359 --> 00:29:11.859 we thank you 00:29:11.859 --> 00:29:12.559 for your love, 00:29:13.139 --> 00:29:13.700 for the grace 00:29:13.700 --> 00:29:14.480 that you have shown 00:29:14.480 --> 00:29:15.559 in sending your son 00:29:15.559 --> 00:29:16.819 to be the saviour 00:29:16.819 --> 00:29:17.259 of the world, 00:29:17.359 --> 00:29:18.779 to be my saviour 00:29:18.779 --> 00:29:20.220 as I trust in him. 00:29:21.359 --> 00:29:23.019 Help us to recognise 00:29:23.019 --> 00:29:24.279 our weakness, 00:29:24.680 --> 00:29:25.639 our inadequacy, 00:29:26.500 --> 00:29:27.400 but help us too 00:29:27.400 --> 00:29:28.220 to recognise 00:29:28.220 --> 00:29:29.039 the saviour 00:29:29.039 --> 00:29:30.879 who is always there 00:29:30.879 --> 00:29:32.299 and who is always 00:29:32.299 --> 00:29:33.359 willing to forgive 00:29:33.359 --> 00:29:34.759 as we repent 00:29:34.759 --> 00:29:36.059 and turn to him. 00:29:36.680 --> 00:29:37.460 We pray you'll be with us 00:29:37.460 --> 00:29:38.779 now as we think 00:29:38.779 --> 00:29:39.539 on his death, 00:29:39.900 --> 00:29:41.019 as we share together 00:29:41.019 --> 00:29:42.039 in the bread 00:29:42.039 --> 00:29:43.079 and the cup, 00:29:43.180 --> 00:29:43.640 that our hearts 00:29:43.640 --> 00:29:44.539 may be drawn out 00:29:44.539 --> 00:29:45.759 in real worship 00:29:45.759 --> 00:29:46.960 and adoration of him. 00:29:47.600 --> 00:29:48.519 We give you our thanks 00:29:48.519 --> 00:29:49.759 in the name of the Lord Jesus. 00:29:50.660 --> 00:29:50.920 Amen.