WEBVTT

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 Psalm 42 and Psalm 43 today.

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 So the Psalms, it's divided into five sections, five books they call them.

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 So that's kind of modeled after the five books of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible.

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 And then first book is Psalms 1 to 41.

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 So we just finished the first book, which means we're about 20% of the way there,

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 which is exciting.

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 And we usually cover one Psalm on Friday, as you know,

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 but we're going to cover two because Psalms, just like Psalms 9 and 10,

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 Psalms 42 and 43 are widely believed to have been a single composition originally.

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 That's why a lot of the Hebrew manuscripts have them actually as one Psalm.

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 And then they have the same theme and there's a trajectory and same refrain in both of those Psalms.

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 So those are all clues that tell us that they were originally a single composition.

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 And like the other songs in the Psalter, this one is also rich theologically and spiritually,

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 but it's very raw emotionally and experientially.

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 And it's kind of, this one in particular deals with depression and despair,

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 that very common human experience, although that doesn't make it any less difficult experience.

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 And as we read through it, kind of we see the psalmist's thought process,

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 how God brings him through his depression and despair.

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 And it teaches that we can hope in God in the seeming absence of God by remembering him and praying to him.

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 So that's really the main point of this Psalm.

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 So first we're going to talk about the absence of God in verses 1 to 5 of chapter 42.

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 And then we'll talk about the remembrance of God in verse 6 to 11.

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 And then we'll talk about prayer to God in chapter 43.

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 So verses 1 to 3 express how the psalmist feels spiritually parched and longs for communion with God.

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 It says,

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 As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.

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 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

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 When shall I come and appear before God?

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 My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long,

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 Where is your God?

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 If you're like me, you have experienced this seeming absence of God at some point in your life, a dry season.

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 And I say seeming because God's of course not really absent, but it sure feels that way, right?

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 It feels dry, weary, and you're stressed and harassed by the circumstances of your life.

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 And then you feel like, you know, just that relationship with God seems to be waning, and you don't feel his presence.

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 And the contrast in the images of water in verse 1 and verse 3 is very revealing.

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 The first in verse 1, it says,

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 He longs for, pants for, he thirsts for flowing streams of God, like a deer in a dry country.

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 But then instead, in verse 3, it says,

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 His tears have been his food day and night.

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 So the contrast of the water imagery, right?

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 So drinking, instead of drinking of the vigorous life-giving stream of God,

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 he has to be satisfied with the dripping tears from his own eyes.

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 That's his food.

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 It's a really sad picture.

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 And so he, you know, kind of wistfully reminisces about the good old times in verse 4.

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 He says,

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 These things I remember as I pour out my soul, how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God

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 with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude-keeping festival.

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 And the psalmist apparently used to lead God's people in the worship, in the celebration of the Jewish feasts, the festivals.

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 But now he is alone in his depressive thoughts.

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 And we don't know exactly what kind of state he is in, what he is experiencing.

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 But he is definitely dealing with some kind of loss and sorrow.

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 And he feels deserted by God and is lamenting the fact that he can no longer worship God in the temple in Jerusalem.

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 And so he says in verse 5,

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 Why are you cast down on my soul?

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 And why are you in turmoil within me?

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 Hope in God, for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

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 And the psalmist is kind of here giving himself a pep talk, right?

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 He's trying to exhort himself.

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 He's examining himself.

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 And exhorting his own soul.

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 And why are you cast down on my soul?

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 He says,

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 And why are you in turmoil within me?

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 Hope in God, for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

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 So this is the refrain that occurs again and again three times in these two psalms.

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 And even though there is an expression of hope at the end,

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 really the dominant note at this point of the psalm is one of being downcast.

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 Why are you cast down, O my soul?

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 And then he continues his conversation with God in verse 6.

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 He says,

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 My soul is cast down within me.

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 Therefore, I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon from Mount Mizar.

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 So he admits that his soul is still cast down.

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 Therefore, he says, I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon from Mount Mizar.

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 So land of Jordan and of Hermon are distant from Jerusalem.

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 They're far away.

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 So it shows where the psalmist is.

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 And because of that, he's choosing to remember God because he can't be in the temple,

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 in the presence of God to worship him now.

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 He chooses to remember him.

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 And so this is,

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 though he doesn't feel God at the moment,

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 he thinks about him and remembers him.

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 And this is using his spiritual memory to aid his fight against the depression and despair.

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 And as he remembers God,

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 he acknowledges that even his difficulties are from God's sovereign hand.

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 And so he says in verse 7,

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 Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls.

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 All your breakers and your waves have gone over me.

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 And then it's God's waterfalls that fall thunderously upon the waters.

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 It's his ocean waves that are raging around him and foaming all around him.

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 Instead of the refreshing waters of the flowing streams of God,

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 now he's feeling overwhelmed by waterfalls and waves of God.

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 Yet the psalmist, even in the light of this,

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 remembers an important truth about God in verse 8.

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 He says,

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 By day the Lord commands his steadfast love,

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 and at night his song is with me,

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 a prayer to the God of my life.

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 So he doesn't feel God's steadfast love toward him,

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 but he knows God's steadfast love,

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 and he's encouraging,

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 he's rehearsing that truth at this point.

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 And it's this remembrance of God's character

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 that spurs him to pray more boldly

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 and honestly in verses 9 to 11.

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 It says,

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 I say to God, my rock,

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 why have you forgotten me?

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 Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

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 As with a deadly wound in my bones,

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 my adversaries taunt me

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 while they say to me all the day long,

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 where is your God?

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 And notice how the psalmist never impugns God's character.

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 Even in his desperation,

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 he says,

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 God is my rock.

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 And he cries out to him.

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 And it's this belief in him,

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 that the belief that God loves him

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 and cares for him,

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 even in the midst of this,

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 that helps him to pray to God

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 and respond to the enemy's taunt,

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 where is your God?

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 Accusing him of God's absence.

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 And as he's trying to remember God

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 and rehearse the truth about God,

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 he goes back to the refrain in verse 11.

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 Why are you cast down on my soul?

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 And why are you in turmoil within me?

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 Hope in God,

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 for I shall again praise him,

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 my salvation and my God.

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 And this recurring self-exhortation

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 is really insightful,

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 if you think about it,

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 because speaking to yourself

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 in the midst of depression and despair

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 is really one of the most important things

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 and helpful things we can do,

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 is speaking to ourselves,

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 speaking the truth of God to ourselves.

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 And in his book

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 on the issue of spiritual depression,

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 Martin Lloyd-Jones writes this,

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 asks this incisive question.

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 He says,

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 have you realized

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 that most of your unhappiness in life

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 is due to the fact

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 that you are listening to yourself

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 instead of talking to yourself?

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 So don't just listen to your doubts

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 and fears,

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 but exercise faith

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 and tell yourself of God's sovereignty

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 and care and goodness.

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 So then don't wallow in your guilt

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 and self-condemnation.

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 Don't listen to that,

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 but then speak to yourself

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 instead about God's grace

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 and his justifying work

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 through Jesus on the cross, right?

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 So by remembering God

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 and rehearsing the truths about God,

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 we can overcome much of the depression

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 and despair that beset us.

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 And this is not,

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 I just want to address this

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 because it's a common misunderstanding,

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 but it's not just a fringe,

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 you know,

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 regressive opinion

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 of a scientifically ignorant pastor, right?

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 I mean,

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 this is a,

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 because often I hear people say things like,

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 well,

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 but isn't depression

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 caused by a chemical imbalance, right?

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 And so,

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 I mean,

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 what good does it do to a person

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 if you tell them

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 to speak to themselves

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 and adjust their attitudes, right?

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 And,

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 but that's actually

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 an erroneous idea

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 from the last century

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 that to think

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 that depression

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 is caused by a chemical imbalance.

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 It's in a widely acclaimed book

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 entitled The Depths.

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 Psychologist Jonathan Rottenberg,

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 who is an expert

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 on major depressive disorders,

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 writes that

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 that suggestion

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 that depression

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 is caused by a chemical imbalance

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 is wrong

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 and naive

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 and misleading.

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 Rather,

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 he suggests

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 that depression

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 is a result

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 of a confluence of factors,

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 including our own choices,

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 relationships,

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 our thought patterns,

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 and how we regulate

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 our emotions, right?

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 And there are,

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 of course,

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 instances

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 where there is

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 a biological reason, right?

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 So, for example,

00:10:00.360 --> 00:10:01.240
 thyroid problems

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 or, you know,

00:10:02.320 --> 00:10:03.259
 intolerance

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 for certain foods

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 and certain illnesses

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 can cause

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 feelings of depression,

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 but those account

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 for 10% or less

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 of all the observed cases

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 of depression.

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 And so,

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 chemical imbalance

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 really has become,

00:10:19.020 --> 00:10:19.520
 that theory

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 has become widely popular

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 because of the

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 pharmaceutical companies

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 who, on the first case,

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 want you to believe

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 that you're depressed

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 and then secondly,

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 want you to believe

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 that their pill

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 will solve that problem,

00:10:28.040 --> 00:10:28.200
 right?

00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:28.520
 So, I mean,

00:10:28.580 --> 00:10:31.820
 that's in large part

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 why that view

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 became so popular

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 without scientific backing.

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 And so,

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 this is corroborated

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 by findings

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 of Harvard Health Publications

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 and Scientific American.

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 They all published articles

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 dealing with this.

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 And it turns out

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 that the Bible,

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 which has been saying

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 the same thing

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 for millennia,

00:10:47.700 --> 00:10:48.900
 has been right all along,

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 right?

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 That these things

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 can be dealt with

00:10:51.419 --> 00:10:52.240
 through rehearsing

00:10:52.240 --> 00:10:53.099
 the truths of God.

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 And so,

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 we can maintain

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 our hope in God

00:10:55.799 --> 00:10:56.879
 by remembering Him

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 and rehearsing

00:10:57.699 --> 00:10:58.719
 the truths about God.

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 So then,

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 when we feel neglected

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 and alone,

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 we remember

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 and rehearse

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 the fact that God's

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 omnipresent

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 and with us,

00:11:04.759 --> 00:11:05.000
 imminent.

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 And then,

00:11:06.199 --> 00:11:07.279
 when we feel afraid

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 and anxious,

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 we remember God's sovereignty

00:11:09.439 --> 00:11:10.899
 and love for us

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 and that helps us

00:11:11.819 --> 00:11:12.419
 to deal with

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 our repression

00:11:13.659 --> 00:11:14.419
 and despair.

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 And as the psalmist

00:11:16.519 --> 00:11:18.679
 continues to remember God

00:11:18.679 --> 00:11:19.519
 and rehearse His truths,

00:11:19.519 --> 00:11:20.659
 His tone grows

00:11:20.659 --> 00:11:21.419
 ever more hopeful

00:11:21.419 --> 00:11:22.480
 and that's when we turn

00:11:22.480 --> 00:11:23.340
 to chapter 43

00:11:23.340 --> 00:11:24.519
 and then His lament

00:11:24.519 --> 00:11:25.899
 turns to prayer,

00:11:26.340 --> 00:11:27.079
 to a petition.

00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:28.500
 And so,

00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:29.419
 this is a really

00:11:29.419 --> 00:11:30.179
 important transition

00:11:30.179 --> 00:11:31.939
 because so far,

00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:32.399
 this was just

00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:33.240
 the internal dialogue

00:11:33.240 --> 00:11:34.240
 with Himself,

00:11:34.819 --> 00:11:35.799
 but now He's adding

00:11:35.799 --> 00:11:36.500
 a third party

00:11:36.500 --> 00:11:37.039
 to the dialogue.

00:11:37.259 --> 00:11:38.360
 God comes into the picture

00:11:38.360 --> 00:11:39.860
 and then that decisively

00:11:39.860 --> 00:11:41.360
 changes the whole tone

00:11:41.360 --> 00:11:44.480
 of His introspection.

00:11:45.159 --> 00:11:45.299
 So,

00:11:45.600 --> 00:11:47.279
 1 to 4 of chapter 43,

00:11:47.460 --> 00:11:47.639
 it says,

00:11:47.639 --> 00:11:48.439
 vindicate me,

00:11:48.500 --> 00:11:48.799
 O God,

00:11:48.840 --> 00:11:50.100
 and defend my cause

00:11:50.100 --> 00:11:51.460
 against an ungodly people

00:11:51.460 --> 00:11:52.759
 from the deceitful

00:11:52.759 --> 00:11:54.159
 and unjust man.

00:11:54.279 --> 00:11:54.840
 Deliver me,

00:11:55.120 --> 00:11:56.120
 for You are the God

00:11:56.120 --> 00:11:57.279
 in whom I take refuge.

00:11:57.399 --> 00:11:58.860
 Why have You rejected me?

00:11:59.199 --> 00:12:00.439
 Why do I go about mourning

00:12:00.439 --> 00:12:01.279
 because of the oppression

00:12:01.279 --> 00:12:01.939
 of the enemy?

00:12:02.539 --> 00:12:04.159
 Send out Your light

00:12:04.159 --> 00:12:05.279
 and Your truth.

00:12:05.679 --> 00:12:06.539
 Let them lead me.

00:12:06.939 --> 00:12:07.779
 Let them bring me

00:12:07.779 --> 00:12:08.699
 to Your holy hill

00:12:08.699 --> 00:12:09.580
 and to Your dwelling.

00:12:10.120 --> 00:12:10.960
 Then I will go

00:12:10.960 --> 00:12:12.019
 to the altar of God,

00:12:12.100 --> 00:12:13.580
 to God my exceeding joy,

00:12:13.759 --> 00:12:14.799
 and I will praise You

00:12:14.799 --> 00:12:15.460
 with the lyre,

00:12:15.639 --> 00:12:16.220
 O God,

00:12:16.220 --> 00:12:17.220
 my God.

00:12:18.600 --> 00:12:20.019
 Sometimes when we see

00:12:20.019 --> 00:12:21.300
 other people struggling

00:12:21.300 --> 00:12:21.899
 or suffering

00:12:21.899 --> 00:12:23.100
 or when we are ourselves

00:12:23.100 --> 00:12:24.180
 suffering and struggling,

00:12:24.620 --> 00:12:26.060
 we pray that God

00:12:26.060 --> 00:12:26.960
 will help us cope

00:12:26.960 --> 00:12:27.899
 with the situation,

00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:29.379
 but we don't pray

00:12:29.379 --> 00:12:30.660
 that God will deliver us

00:12:30.660 --> 00:12:31.399
 from the situation,

00:12:31.519 --> 00:12:33.060
 that God would intervene

00:12:33.060 --> 00:12:34.279
 to change the situation.

00:12:34.580 --> 00:12:35.720
 And this tendency

00:12:35.720 --> 00:12:37.740
 often betrays

00:12:37.740 --> 00:12:38.840
 people's kind of

00:12:38.840 --> 00:12:39.759
 functional deism

00:12:39.759 --> 00:12:41.259
 where they think of God

00:12:41.259 --> 00:12:41.420
 as,

00:12:41.500 --> 00:12:42.139
 oh, God's there,

00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:42.860
 but He's not really

00:12:42.860 --> 00:12:43.399
 going to intervene

00:12:43.399 --> 00:12:44.040
 in our lives.

00:12:44.579 --> 00:12:45.480
 He's not going to do

00:12:45.480 --> 00:12:46.259
 anything about it.

00:12:46.599 --> 00:12:47.819
 Or rather,

00:12:47.959 --> 00:12:48.939
 just a lack of faith

00:12:48.939 --> 00:12:49.579
 and resignation.

00:12:50.019 --> 00:12:50.959
 So I'm willing to pray

00:12:50.959 --> 00:12:51.839
 for small things

00:12:51.839 --> 00:12:53.099
 but not for these big things

00:12:53.099 --> 00:12:55.959
 because I don't want

00:12:55.959 --> 00:12:56.539
 to be disappointed

00:12:56.539 --> 00:12:58.179
 and lose my faith.

00:12:58.399 --> 00:12:59.319
 It could be

00:12:59.319 --> 00:13:00.459
 a lot of those things.

00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:01.719
 But then as Christians,

00:13:01.799 --> 00:13:02.599
 we can't resolve

00:13:02.599 --> 00:13:03.219
 that tension.

00:13:03.500 --> 00:13:03.939
 We need to pray

00:13:03.939 --> 00:13:04.519
 for both.

00:13:05.120 --> 00:13:06.240
 And that's exactly

00:13:06.240 --> 00:13:07.779
 what Jesus does

00:13:07.779 --> 00:13:08.759
 in Gethsemane

00:13:08.759 --> 00:13:09.980
 when He prays to God.

00:13:10.099 --> 00:13:11.240
 Mark 14, 36,

00:13:11.240 --> 00:13:12.000
 Abba Father,

00:13:12.399 --> 00:13:13.899
 all things are possible

00:13:13.899 --> 00:13:14.399
 for You.

00:13:14.899 --> 00:13:16.379
 Remove this cup from me,

00:13:16.639 --> 00:13:17.840
 yet not what I will,

00:13:18.039 --> 00:13:18.779
 but what You will.

00:13:18.879 --> 00:13:20.120
 So we see in the first part

00:13:20.120 --> 00:13:20.940
 the request

00:13:20.940 --> 00:13:22.399
 to just in faith

00:13:22.399 --> 00:13:23.680
 remove this from me

00:13:23.680 --> 00:13:24.500
 because that's what I want.

00:13:24.580 --> 00:13:25.539
 But then at the same time

00:13:25.539 --> 00:13:26.899
 that trust in God

00:13:26.899 --> 00:13:27.159
 saying,

00:13:27.539 --> 00:13:28.480
 but not my will,

00:13:28.560 --> 00:13:30.899
 but Your will be done.

00:13:31.980 --> 00:13:32.779
 And the Father,

00:13:33.060 --> 00:13:33.680
 it turns out,

00:13:33.759 --> 00:13:34.740
 was not willing

00:13:34.740 --> 00:13:36.019
 to remove the cup, right?

00:13:36.200 --> 00:13:37.919
 So Jesus' prayer

00:13:37.919 --> 00:13:38.779
 to remove my cup

00:13:38.779 --> 00:13:39.779
 from me is not answered.

00:13:40.759 --> 00:13:42.519
 And because that prayer

00:13:42.519 --> 00:13:43.339
 is not answered,

00:13:43.799 --> 00:13:44.699
 as believers

00:13:44.699 --> 00:13:46.079
 who have been saved

00:13:46.079 --> 00:13:46.799
 by Jesus,

00:13:47.959 --> 00:13:48.559
 we can be,

00:13:49.559 --> 00:13:50.919
 God's answer to us,

00:13:51.000 --> 00:13:52.059
 His presence with us

00:13:52.059 --> 00:13:53.000
 is guaranteed

00:13:53.000 --> 00:13:54.740
 because Jesus' prayer

00:13:54.740 --> 00:13:55.480
 was unanswered.

00:13:56.179 --> 00:13:58.159
 And that's why

00:13:58.159 --> 00:13:58.799
 we can pray

00:13:58.799 --> 00:13:59.799
 the prayer of the psalmist.

00:13:59.919 --> 00:14:00.620
 Send out Your light

00:14:00.620 --> 00:14:01.199
 and Your truth.

00:14:01.399 --> 00:14:02.519
 Let them lead me.

00:14:02.620 --> 00:14:03.259
 Let them bring me

00:14:03.259 --> 00:14:04.019
 to Your holy hill

00:14:04.019 --> 00:14:05.159
 and to Your dwelling

00:14:05.159 --> 00:14:06.899
 and have complete confidence

00:14:06.899 --> 00:14:07.899
 that God will answer

00:14:07.899 --> 00:14:08.339
 that prayer.

00:14:08.779 --> 00:14:09.899
 And because now

00:14:09.899 --> 00:14:11.079
 Jesus has died for us,

00:14:11.120 --> 00:14:11.980
 He's the new temple

00:14:11.980 --> 00:14:12.980
 through whom

00:14:12.980 --> 00:14:14.179
 we have access to God.

00:14:14.339 --> 00:14:15.659
 And then through Him

00:14:15.659 --> 00:14:16.519
 we have been sanctified

00:14:16.519 --> 00:14:18.019
 so that even the very Spirit

00:14:18.019 --> 00:14:18.939
 of God dwells in us

00:14:18.939 --> 00:14:20.000
 as temples of God.

00:14:20.579 --> 00:14:20.659
 Right?

00:14:20.740 --> 00:14:21.600
 So because of that,

00:14:21.799 --> 00:14:22.319
 now we,

00:14:23.199 --> 00:14:23.899
 this prayer

00:14:23.899 --> 00:14:26.459
 that psalmist prays

00:14:26.459 --> 00:14:30.519
 is one full of hope

00:14:30.519 --> 00:14:31.939
 and faith for us.

00:14:31.939 --> 00:14:34.100
 And then the final refrain

00:14:34.100 --> 00:14:34.699
 comes again

00:14:34.699 --> 00:14:35.939
 in verse 5.

00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:37.079
 And at this point,

00:14:37.080 --> 00:14:38.259
 because of the context

00:14:38.259 --> 00:14:38.840
 of the prayer

00:14:38.840 --> 00:14:40.100
 and the hopefulness of it,

00:14:40.540 --> 00:14:41.700
 what used to sound

00:14:41.700 --> 00:14:42.820
 like a forlorn cry

00:14:42.820 --> 00:14:44.240
 in the previous chapter

00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:45.820
 now soars with hope

00:14:45.820 --> 00:14:46.800
 and it almost sounds

00:14:46.800 --> 00:14:47.800
 like He's rebuking

00:14:47.800 --> 00:14:48.520
 His own soul

00:14:48.520 --> 00:14:49.540
 for its faithlessness.

00:14:49.740 --> 00:14:49.940
 It says,

00:14:50.420 --> 00:14:51.460
 Why are you cast down,

00:14:51.540 --> 00:14:51.940
 O my soul?

00:14:52.200 --> 00:14:53.080
 And why are you

00:14:53.080 --> 00:14:54.060
 in turmoil within me?

00:14:54.420 --> 00:14:55.440
 Hope in God

00:14:55.440 --> 00:14:56.540
 for I shall again

00:14:56.540 --> 00:14:57.180
 praise Him

00:14:57.180 --> 00:14:58.240
 by salvation

00:14:58.240 --> 00:14:59.460
 and my God.

00:14:59.460 --> 00:15:01.259
 So then in the midst

00:15:01.259 --> 00:15:02.019
 of depression

00:15:02.019 --> 00:15:03.280
 and despair,

00:15:03.860 --> 00:15:04.660
 let us find hope

00:15:04.660 --> 00:15:05.160
 in God

00:15:05.160 --> 00:15:06.180
 by remembering Him

00:15:06.180 --> 00:15:08.040
 and praying to Him.

00:15:08.460 --> 00:15:09.139
 Amen.

00:15:09.139 --> 00:15:09.340
 Amen.

00:15:09.340 --> 00:15:09.400
 Amen.

00:15:09.400 --> 00:15:09.460
 Amen.

00:15:09.460 --> 00:15:09.960
 Amen.

00:15:09.960 --> 00:15:09.980
 Amen.

00:15:09.980 --> 00:15:10.040
 Amen.

00:15:10.040 --> 00:15:10.080
 Amen.

00:15:10.080 --> 00:15:10.139
 Amen.

00:15:10.139 --> 00:15:10.180
 Amen.

00:15:10.180 --> 00:15:10.200
 Amen.

00:15:10.200 --> 00:15:10.280
 Amen.

00:15:10.280 --> 00:15:10.300
 Amen.

00:15:10.300 --> 00:15:10.340
 Amen.

00:15:10.340 --> 00:15:10.400
 Amen.

00:15:10.400 --> 00:15:10.440
 Amen.

00:15:10.440 --> 00:15:10.460
 Amen.

00:15:10.460 --> 00:15:10.540
 Amen.

00:15:10.540 --> 00:15:10.639
 Amen.

00:15:10.639 --> 00:15:10.680
 Amen.

00:15:10.680 --> 00:15:10.740
 Amen.