WEBVTT

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 Let's begin our worship. We're singing firstly today in Psalm 66. Psalm 66, that's in the

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 Sing Psalms. That's on page 83 of the Psalm books. We're singing to a tune, Golden Hill,

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 verses 1 to 6.

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 Shout loud with joy to God, all earth your chorus raise. Sing loud the honor of his name,

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 and glorious make his praise. Speak thus to God the Lord, how great your works of power.

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 For so overwhelming is your might, that foes before you cower. You can see from the bulletin

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 sheet that the focus of our study this morning of God's Word is on praise. The church gathered

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 together for praise, to praise the Lord. So the Psalms reflect that in the references to praise

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 as we sing them today. So Psalm 66, if you're able to stand, please stand to sing.

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 Sing loud the honor of his name, and glorious name.

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 G результатaff vid ange77.

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 Sing outputs, ring办agle hog

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 Pray to stand, but seldomodiver give such broken heart.

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 Our greater works of power, so overwhelming is your might

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 That goes before you can

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 Alert, God's hand to you

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 This signal of your pain

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 They never cease to celebrate

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 The glory of your name

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 Come see what God has done

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 This mighty works of power

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 His deeds to watch the human race

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 Have lost unto the old

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 To let his people pass

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 On blue blue waters cross

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 He turned the sea into my land

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 Let us rejoice in God

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 Now let's pray briefly before the children go through to their Sunday school

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 Our gracious God

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 As we give thanks today

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 That you have gathered us together

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 In your name that is our desire

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 And our delight to be here

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 We thank you for the privilege of being able to do so

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 We ask Lord again your blessing for our children today

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 In each and every one of them

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 In all their classes

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 And all the things that they learned today about

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 You help them we pray

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 To apply this to their own young lives

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 And once again we pray

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 That their spiritual and moral development

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 Will continue under the teaching of your word

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 And we ask that all those who teach them

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 And give of their time

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 Will be rewarded by your own blessing

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 And not that we seek Lord to be rewarded

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 For the work that we do for you

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 But nevertheless you promise

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 That you will bless those who serve you

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 And seek to make your word known

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 Even to all ages

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 So bless the children today we pray

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 And give them today

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 To know your own spirit working in their young lives

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 Hear us we pray

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 In Jesus name

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 Amen

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 I'm going to read a couple of verses

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 From Judges

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 The book of Judges chapter 6

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 And this is about Gideon

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 Gideon

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 Because I know that Sunday school

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 Today are beginning Gideon

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 In their lessons

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 For a number of weeks

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 At least I've looked at the schedule

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 And that's what's down

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 I'm sure that they're keeping to that

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 If possible

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 So I'm going to read from Judges chapter 6

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 Just two or three verses

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 The Lord saying to Gideon

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 The Lord turned to him and said

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 Go in this might of yours

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 And save Israel

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 From the hand of Midian

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 Do not I send you

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 And he said to him

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 Please Lord

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 How can I save Israel?

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 Behold my clan is the weakest in Manasseh

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 And I am the least in my father's house

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 And the Lord said to him

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 But I will be with you

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 And you shall strike the Midianites

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 As one man

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 Now as you come to learn about Gideon

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 And various things that happened in his life

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 It's such an important part of the book of Judges

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 Because in a sense it summarizes what the book of Judges is about

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 And I want the young folks today just to think of two things

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 In relation to Gideon

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 I'm sure you'll learn a lot more as you go through the lessons

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 From Gideon's life

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 But here is the Lord saying to Gideon

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 To go and save Israel from the Midianites

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 The Midianites

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 The Midianites were people who had been attacking Israel

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 And had come because they had great numbers

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 And were attacking them and destroying their crops

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 Or taking their crops

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 All sorts of things that really provided so many difficulties for the people of Israel

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 It really was the people's own fault in a sense

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 Because God was annoyed with them

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 Because they had really gone after other gods

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 And stopped saving the Lord the way they should

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 But here the Lord is saying to Gideon

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 Go and save Israel

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 Now the Lord's calling

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 That's what we usually say

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 The Lord's calling of Gideon

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 Is something that applies to all our lives

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 Even our young people today

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 I mean you young folks and all of us too

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 Are being called by God through the Bible to serve Him

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 Not necessarily to be great leaders in the church

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 But everybody has the opportunity and the responsibility to do something for the Lord

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 The Lord is calling us all to be His servants

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 To serve Him in some way or other

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 And you young folk today

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 In your young days

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 That's your privilege too

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 To serve the Lord in whatever way you can

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 To do things for Jesus

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 So I want you to pray this prayer

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 Not just today

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 But throughout your whole life really

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 It's a prayer that goes something like this

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 Lord, please help me to be obedient to your call

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 Lord, please help me to be obedient to your call

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 It's a prayer everybody, adults as well, needs to pray

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 But for young folks today

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 Pray this prayer for yourselves

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 Lord, help me to be obedient

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 So whatever the Lord calls us to do

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 We should always pray

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 Lord, help me to be obedient to that

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 And then Gideon said

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 That he was too small

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 That he was not really strong enough to do this

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 And he said

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 How can I save Israel?

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 My clan is the weakest in Manasseh

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 And I am the least in my father's house

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 You see what they're saying

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 I just don't feel I can do this

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 It's too big for me

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 It's too big a task

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 I am the smallest in my father's house

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 And my clan is the smallest in Manasseh

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 You're asking me to do such a great thing

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 I don't think I can do it

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 What did the Lord say to him?

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 He said

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 The Lord said

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 But I will be with you

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 In other words

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 Gideon was to think

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 Not about his own ability

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 But God's strength

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 That's the second prayer

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 I want you to pray for yourselves as well

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 As your young lives go on

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 Lord, make me strong to be your servant

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 Make me strong to be your servant

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 So these are the two prayers

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 Help me to be obedient

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 So that I can serve you

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 And make me strong to be your servant

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 These are two very simple but important prayers

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 That you learn from the life of Gideon

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 So pray these prayers for yourselves

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 And do what you can to serve Jesus

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 As your lives go on

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 Now we're going to say the Lord's Prayer again together

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 Let's say the Lord's Prayer

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 Our Father which art in heaven

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 Hallowed be thy name

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 Thy kingdom come

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 Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven

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 Give us this day our daily bread

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 And forgive us our debts

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 As we forgive our debtors

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 And lead us not into temptation

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 But deliver us from evil

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 For thine is the kingdom

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 And the power and the glory forever

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 Amen

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 It's great to hear all you young folks saying that

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 Prayer and reciting it like that

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 But you can pray it for yourselves of course as well

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 Let's sing again to God's Praise

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 Psalm 135 this time

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 Page 425

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 Singing to a tune Gainsborough

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 Verses 1-6

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 Praise ye the Lord

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 The Lord's name praise

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 His servants praise ye God

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 Who stand in God's house

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 In the courts of our God

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 In the courts of our God

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 Make abode

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 Psalm 135 and verses 1-6

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 To his praise

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 Praise ye the Lord

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 Praise ye the Lord

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 Praise ye the Lord

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 The Lord's name praise

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 His servants praise ye God

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 His servants praise

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 Praise ye the Lord

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 His servants praise ye God

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 Who stand in God's

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 His servants praise ye God

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 Who stand in God's

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 The servant's praise ye God

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 Who stand in God's

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 Our sing the courts

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 God, our God, make a word.

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 Praise ye the Lord, for he is good,

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 and to him praises sing.

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 Sing praises to this King,

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 because it is a pleasant thing.

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 For take up to himself the Lord,

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 take truth of his good pleasure,

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 and he hath chosen Israel

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 for his peculiar treasure.

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 Because I know assuredly the Lord is very great,

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 and that our Lord, above all gods,

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 in glory hath his seed.

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 What things so ever pleased the Lord,

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 but in the heavenly King,

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 and in the earth, the seas and all,

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 the places deep at thee.

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 Let's read God's Word together now

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 from Paul's letter to the Colossians.

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 Paul's letter to the Colossians, chapter 3,

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 and we're going to read the first 17 verses.

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 Colossians, chapter 3, from the beginning.

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 If then you have been raised with Christ,

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 seek the things that are above where Christ is,

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 seated at the right hand of God.

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 Set your minds on the things that are above,

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 not on things that are on earth.

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 For you have died, and your life is hidden

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 with Christ in God.

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 When Christ, who is your life, appears,

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 then you also will appear with him in glory.

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 Put to death, therefore, what is earthly in you,

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 sexual immorality, impurity, passion,

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 evil desire, and covetousness,

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 which is idolatry.

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 On account of these, the wrath of God is coming.

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 In these you too once walked

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 when you were living in them.

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 But now you must put them all away,

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 anger, wrath, malice, slander,

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 and obscene talk from your mouth.

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 Do not lie one to another,

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 seeing that you have put off the old self

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 with its practices,

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 and have put on the new self,

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 which is being renewed in knowledge

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 after the image of its creator.

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 Here there is not Greek and Jew,

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 circumcised and uncircumcised,

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 barbarian, Scythian, slave, free,

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 but Christ is all and in all.

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 Put on then, as God's chosen ones,

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 holy and beloved,

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 compassion, kindness,

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 humility, meekness, and patience,

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 bearing with one another,

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 and if one has a complaint against another,

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 forgiving each other.

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 As the Lord has forgiven you,

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 so you also must forgive.

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 And above all these, put on love,

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 which binds everything together

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 in perfect harmony.

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 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,

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 to which indeed you are called in one body,

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 and be thankful.

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 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,

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 teaching and admonishing one another

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 in all wisdom,

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 singing psalms and hymns

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 and spiritual songs

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 with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

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 And whatever you do,

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 in word or deed,

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 do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,

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 giving thanks to God the Father

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 through him.

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 And so on,

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 may the Lord bless to us

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 that reading of his own word.

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 We're singing once again,

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 this time in Psalm 104,

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 on page 374,

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 singing to the tune Kilmarnock

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 from verse 31

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 down to the end of the psalm.

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 The glory of the mighty Lord

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 continues shall forever.

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 The Lord Jehovah shall rejoice

00:17:23.220 --> 00:17:24.700
 in all his works together.

00:17:25.680 --> 00:17:26.839
 Earth, as affrightened,

00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:28.819
 trembleth all if he on it but look.

00:17:29.480 --> 00:17:31.240
 And if the mountains he but touch,

00:17:31.359 --> 00:17:32.720
 they presently do smoke.

00:17:33.299 --> 00:17:35.480
 I will sing to the Lord Most High

00:17:35.480 --> 00:17:37.079
 so long as I shall live.

00:17:37.759 --> 00:17:39.159
 And while I being have,

00:17:39.599 --> 00:17:41.879
 I shall to my God praises give.

00:17:42.579 --> 00:17:44.439
 Of him my meditation shall

00:17:44.439 --> 00:17:46.119
 sweet thoughts to me afford.

00:17:46.799 --> 00:17:47.559
 And as for me,

00:17:47.639 --> 00:17:49.039
 I will rejoice in God,

00:17:49.500 --> 00:17:50.500
 my only Lord.

00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:53.159
 From earth let sinners be consumed,

00:17:53.160 --> 00:17:56.340
 let ill men no more be.

00:17:57.080 --> 00:17:58.380
 O thou my soul,

00:17:58.580 --> 00:17:59.680
 bless thou the Lord.

00:18:00.480 --> 00:18:01.580
 Praise to the Lord,

00:18:02.140 --> 00:18:02.580
 give ye.

00:18:02.660 --> 00:18:03.200
 These verses,

00:18:03.740 --> 00:18:05.759
 the glory of the mighty Lord.

00:18:05.759 --> 00:18:19.640
 The glory of the mighty Lord,

00:18:20.099 --> 00:18:26.579
 continue shall forever.

00:18:26.579 --> 00:18:43.000
 The Lord Jehovah shall rejoice in all his works together.

00:18:43.000 --> 00:18:45.000
 earth,

00:18:45.000 --> 00:18:50.000
 earth as affrighted,

00:18:50.000 --> 00:18:53.000
 trembleth all,

00:18:53.000 --> 00:19:01.779
 if he on it but look.

00:19:01.779 --> 00:19:10.940
 and if the mountains he but touch,

00:19:10.940 --> 00:19:17.619
 they presently do so.

00:19:17.619 --> 00:19:28.000
 I will sing to the Lord Most High

00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:36.359
 so long as I shall live.

00:19:36.359 --> 00:19:43.519
 And while I be in half,

00:19:43.519 --> 00:19:53.519
 I shall to my God praises give.

00:19:53.519 --> 00:20:03.119
 Up in my meditation shall

00:20:03.119 --> 00:20:11.119
 sweet thoughts to me afford.

00:20:11.119 --> 00:20:16.279
 And as for me,

00:20:16.279 --> 00:20:23.399
 I will rejoice in God,

00:20:23.539 --> 00:20:28.139
 my only Lord.

00:20:28.140 --> 00:20:37.140
 from earth let sinners be consumed,

00:20:37.140 --> 00:20:45.060
 let ill men no more be.

00:20:45.060 --> 00:20:51.140
 O thou my soul,

00:20:51.140 --> 00:20:55.360
 bless thou the Lord.

00:20:55.359 --> 00:21:00.699
 Praise to the Lord,

00:21:00.839 --> 00:21:01.979
 give me.

00:21:06.359 --> 00:21:09.679
 Now please turn with me to Colossians chapter 3,

00:21:10.419 --> 00:21:12.359
 passage we read a short time ago.

00:21:12.639 --> 00:21:13.859
 Colossians chapter 3.

00:21:15.059 --> 00:21:17.839
 And today we're looking mainly at verse 16.

00:21:21.519 --> 00:21:24.279
 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,

00:21:24.279 --> 00:21:27.480
 teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom,

00:21:27.480 --> 00:21:30.879
 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs

00:21:30.879 --> 00:21:34.940
 with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

00:21:36.940 --> 00:21:41.819
 Obviously that's a text that stands in a run of verses

00:21:41.819 --> 00:21:46.859
 that focus on certain things to do with our service for God.

00:21:46.960 --> 00:21:52.019
 And the focus especially here is on the word of Jesus dwelling in his people richly,

00:21:52.019 --> 00:21:55.700
 but that's combined with singing praises to God,

00:21:55.700 --> 00:21:59.680
 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness.

00:22:00.059 --> 00:22:03.799
 Now as we've been looking for a few weeks at the topic of the gathered church,

00:22:03.900 --> 00:22:07.480
 we're thinking especially of the church as gathered as we are today,

00:22:07.559 --> 00:22:10.460
 and some of the features of the gatherings of the church,

00:22:10.500 --> 00:22:13.799
 and what is important for us to bear in mind and to practice

00:22:13.799 --> 00:22:17.240
 in the gatherings of the church as we form part of that.

00:22:17.240 --> 00:22:20.599
 Last week, for example, we looked at being gathered for prayer

00:22:20.599 --> 00:22:23.539
 and how important it is for the church not only to pray,

00:22:23.640 --> 00:22:25.039
 but to be gathered for prayer,

00:22:25.180 --> 00:22:29.700
 to have gatherings where prayer features strongly in them,

00:22:30.240 --> 00:22:34.279
 and even gatherings for prayer and not much else but prayer.

00:22:34.839 --> 00:22:39.660
 And today we're looking at the church gathered for praise,

00:22:39.880 --> 00:22:43.480
 which is particularly an emphasis here on singing.

00:22:44.099 --> 00:22:45.680
 The church gathered for praise.

00:22:45.680 --> 00:22:50.600
 This evening, God willing, we'll look at the church gathered for growth from Ephesians.

00:22:51.620 --> 00:22:53.640
 So the focus really is on singing,

00:22:53.740 --> 00:22:56.700
 but it runs right through here from verse 16.

00:22:56.799 --> 00:23:02.400
 As we've said, it's a run of verses from there down through to verse 17 especially.

00:23:03.380 --> 00:23:05.240
 And it's important to notice the connection,

00:23:05.380 --> 00:23:09.680
 the very close connection in this verse itself,

00:23:10.160 --> 00:23:11.860
 because there's no full stop.

00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:13.180
 It's just a series of commas.

00:23:13.180 --> 00:23:16.519
 Notice the connection, therefore close connection,

00:23:16.660 --> 00:23:18.580
 between teaching and singing.

00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:23.980
 Teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom.

00:23:24.480 --> 00:23:28.640
 And then immediately it says singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs

00:23:28.640 --> 00:23:31.279
 with thankfulness in your heart to God.

00:23:31.740 --> 00:23:35.759
 So there's a very close connection there between the church gathered together,

00:23:35.960 --> 00:23:36.779
 as we've seen before,

00:23:36.779 --> 00:23:38.079
 to listen to God,

00:23:38.160 --> 00:23:40.740
 to listen to God's word being proclaimed,

00:23:41.460 --> 00:23:42.879
 and for prayer as well.

00:23:42.879 --> 00:23:49.160
 A close connection here as well with the teaching that we receive from God's word

00:23:49.160 --> 00:23:51.420
 and the singing of praise to God,

00:23:51.480 --> 00:23:54.440
 because they very much are dovetailed together

00:23:54.440 --> 00:23:56.740
 and should be so in our thoughts as well.

00:23:57.720 --> 00:24:00.519
 Singing does not replace preaching.

00:24:00.519 --> 00:24:02.700
 But nevertheless,

00:24:03.139 --> 00:24:05.259
 even in the singing of the praise of God,

00:24:05.639 --> 00:24:09.920
 there is a very strong didactic or teaching element to it,

00:24:10.279 --> 00:24:13.519
 because you're learning things as you're singing.

00:24:13.900 --> 00:24:17.519
 We're learning things together as we're singing together.

00:24:17.879 --> 00:24:18.579
 And as we'll see,

00:24:18.900 --> 00:24:20.819
 the importance of singing together

00:24:20.819 --> 00:24:24.500
 carries with it so many benefits for us individually,

00:24:24.500 --> 00:24:29.559
 which come from being together to sing the praises of God.

00:24:30.119 --> 00:24:30.579
 Of course,

00:24:31.039 --> 00:24:35.619
 singing is one main feature of the gathered church for worship,

00:24:36.039 --> 00:24:41.880
 but it's a very important aspect of the church's gathering for worship,

00:24:41.960 --> 00:24:43.680
 along with reading the word,

00:24:43.980 --> 00:24:45.880
 and the word being expounded in preaching,

00:24:46.299 --> 00:24:47.700
 and prayer to God,

00:24:48.180 --> 00:24:51.940
 that is the element of singing together the praise of God.

00:24:51.940 --> 00:24:52.559
 And basically,

00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:55.820
 that is what comprises our worship services,

00:24:55.940 --> 00:24:57.320
 our public worship.

00:24:58.480 --> 00:25:01.539
 And it's important that we think of participation

00:25:01.539 --> 00:25:04.880
 and not performance.

00:25:05.860 --> 00:25:06.820
 I don't mean by that,

00:25:06.880 --> 00:25:10.620
 that our singing should be anything but of good quality.

00:25:11.480 --> 00:25:13.660
 But the singing is not a performance.

00:25:14.340 --> 00:25:15.779
 We don't have a choir.

00:25:16.820 --> 00:25:20.400
 Not that there's anything wrong with a choir in itself in certain contexts.

00:25:20.400 --> 00:25:22.100
 But we don't have a choir.

00:25:22.200 --> 00:25:25.420
 We have a presenter to lead the singing rather than a choir,

00:25:25.519 --> 00:25:26.740
 and there's good reason for that.

00:25:27.960 --> 00:25:31.080
 And when you go to a concert, for example,

00:25:31.240 --> 00:25:33.019
 or nowadays what's called a gig,

00:25:33.740 --> 00:25:38.400
 you go there basically as observers of the main item,

00:25:39.740 --> 00:25:42.620
 which is whether it's a band or whether it's an individual, whatever.

00:25:43.019 --> 00:25:44.540
 But you're going there as observers.

00:25:44.539 --> 00:25:50.960
 And even if you're participating in the sense of singing in with some of what's being performed on stage,

00:25:51.159 --> 00:25:53.379
 you're basically there to observe them.

00:25:53.460 --> 00:25:55.259
 They're the main feature of the gathering.

00:25:55.899 --> 00:25:57.659
 But in the gathered church,

00:25:58.099 --> 00:26:02.980
 gathering for praise means we are all collectively and equally involved,

00:26:03.399 --> 00:26:06.059
 participating in that praise of God.

00:26:06.420 --> 00:26:09.139
 We don't come to church to sing the praises of God

00:26:09.139 --> 00:26:12.000
 by just listening to others sing the praise.

00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:13.799
 It's a participation.

00:26:14.279 --> 00:26:16.200
 It's congregational praise.

00:26:16.519 --> 00:26:18.980
 The whole congregation participates in it.

00:26:22.279 --> 00:26:26.559
 It's a feature of many congregations now that they have a praise band.

00:26:27.920 --> 00:26:32.099
 I'm not necessarily saying I disagree with that entirely,

00:26:32.680 --> 00:26:37.960
 but the congregation's praise is important as congregational praise.

00:26:37.960 --> 00:26:42.539
 And if there is to be a praise band, and I'm not saying by any means that there should be or is to be,

00:26:43.299 --> 00:26:49.279
 it must never be a performance by the band performing to the congregation.

00:26:50.000 --> 00:26:56.559
 Because we come together to congregate as those who wish to praise God collectively.

00:26:57.720 --> 00:27:01.720
 And whatever else we say as features of sung praise to God,

00:27:01.720 --> 00:27:06.220
 and there is a place outside of congregational worship,

00:27:06.539 --> 00:27:08.720
 public worship, for many of these other things,

00:27:09.059 --> 00:27:10.380
 even what I've mentioned there.

00:27:10.740 --> 00:27:14.559
 But coming together today is for congregational praise.

00:27:14.640 --> 00:27:19.420
 And what a brilliant privilege it is to hear good congregational praise

00:27:19.420 --> 00:27:21.759
 as we sing that praise together.

00:27:23.059 --> 00:27:27.839
 We come together to praise the Lord congregationally.

00:27:27.839 --> 00:27:30.519
 And you notice the plurals here in this passage,

00:27:31.099 --> 00:27:33.799
 showing that it's together that these things are done.

00:27:34.319 --> 00:27:38.240
 Teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom.

00:27:38.399 --> 00:27:44.839
 Singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts, plural, to God.

00:27:45.559 --> 00:27:48.339
 They are all features of the gathered church,

00:27:48.519 --> 00:27:51.039
 gathered to praise the Lord.

00:27:51.039 --> 00:27:55.000
 And that means everybody should sing.

00:27:56.259 --> 00:28:01.379
 Does it mean singing even if you or I are saying,

00:28:01.519 --> 00:28:03.039
 well, I don't really have much of a voice,

00:28:03.139 --> 00:28:05.839
 so I don't think I should participate in the singing?

00:28:06.740 --> 00:28:09.319
 There is no reason at all, biblically,

00:28:09.879 --> 00:28:13.920
 why anybody should feel themselves left out of joining in

00:28:13.920 --> 00:28:17.559
 and participating in the praise, in the singing of praise to God.

00:28:17.819 --> 00:28:20.079
 Your voice may not be the best voice in the congregation.

00:28:20.079 --> 00:28:23.879
 It may be something even of a croak, as far as you're concerned.

00:28:24.319 --> 00:28:27.240
 But still the Lord is calling upon us to sing His praises.

00:28:27.559 --> 00:28:30.399
 And we sing together the praises of God.

00:28:30.720 --> 00:28:31.960
 I've heard some people even saying,

00:28:32.079 --> 00:28:33.059
 none of the congregation here,

00:28:33.339 --> 00:28:35.059
 but I've heard some people suggesting that

00:28:35.059 --> 00:28:36.759
 if you're not converted,

00:28:36.980 --> 00:28:38.819
 you shouldn't be singing the praises of God.

00:28:38.960 --> 00:28:40.980
 That is only for the Lord's converted people.

00:28:41.159 --> 00:28:42.559
 Where do you find that in the Bible?

00:28:44.879 --> 00:28:48.240
 We gather together today to praise the Lord.

00:28:48.240 --> 00:28:50.519
 That means each and every one of us contributes

00:28:50.519 --> 00:28:53.220
 and participates in the praise of God.

00:28:54.259 --> 00:28:55.259
 Even if we're saying today,

00:28:55.339 --> 00:28:57.059
 but I'm not yet a professing Christian,

00:28:57.720 --> 00:28:58.740
 even though I'd like to be,

00:28:58.779 --> 00:28:59.859
 I'm still not there.

00:29:01.700 --> 00:29:02.940
 You might even be saying to yourself,

00:29:03.039 --> 00:29:04.140
 I'm not even yet saved,

00:29:04.220 --> 00:29:04.940
 I'm not converted.

00:29:05.079 --> 00:29:07.759
 Well, I hope that's something you attend to soon,

00:29:07.839 --> 00:29:08.700
 because you should.

00:29:09.279 --> 00:29:11.019
 But the one thing you must never say is,

00:29:11.259 --> 00:29:12.720
 I'm not a professing Christian,

00:29:12.859 --> 00:29:13.920
 or I'm not converted,

00:29:13.920 --> 00:29:16.680
 so I don't really think I should take part

00:29:16.680 --> 00:29:18.039
 in the singing of praise.

00:29:18.400 --> 00:29:21.200
 There is nothing in any part of the Bible

00:29:21.200 --> 00:29:22.160
 that I know of

00:29:22.160 --> 00:29:23.560
 where the Bible says,

00:29:24.039 --> 00:29:26.200
 let's come together and sing the praises of God,

00:29:26.380 --> 00:29:28.880
 but you who are not yet professing Christians

00:29:28.880 --> 00:29:30.279
 are not involved in that.

00:29:33.360 --> 00:29:34.960
 It's congregational, friends.

00:29:35.080 --> 00:29:38.740
 It's congregational praise to God.

00:29:38.740 --> 00:29:42.759
 And as we meet together here today,

00:29:43.279 --> 00:29:47.839
 all our voices should be together raised

00:29:47.839 --> 00:29:50.680
 in the praise of God.

00:29:51.980 --> 00:29:54.140
 Now here we have in this verse

00:29:54.140 --> 00:29:58.220
 another feature that we sometimes find

00:29:58.220 --> 00:29:59.319
 difference of opinion on,

00:29:59.980 --> 00:30:03.960
 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.

00:30:04.859 --> 00:30:06.660
 And some people take that to be

00:30:06.660 --> 00:30:08.940
 a reference to the church

00:30:08.940 --> 00:30:10.660
 being at liberty to compose

00:30:10.660 --> 00:30:13.759
 songs other than you find in the psalms.

00:30:14.100 --> 00:30:14.980
 And that, of course, is true

00:30:14.980 --> 00:30:16.460
 and has been true for generations.

00:30:17.360 --> 00:30:19.720
 But it's also true that these words,

00:30:20.060 --> 00:30:22.759
 psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs

00:30:22.759 --> 00:30:25.680
 are features of the book of psalms,

00:30:25.740 --> 00:30:26.960
 because all of these titles

00:30:26.960 --> 00:30:29.120
 are used in the book of psalms

00:30:29.120 --> 00:30:32.060
 to describe different categories of psalms.

00:30:32.779 --> 00:30:34.580
 And that's why some people prefer

00:30:34.579 --> 00:30:37.019
 that this verse is taken as referring

00:30:37.019 --> 00:30:39.939
 to psalms, the book of psalms,

00:30:40.279 --> 00:30:41.359
 the psalms put into meter

00:30:41.359 --> 00:30:42.740
 as we sing them together.

00:30:43.799 --> 00:30:46.519
 And that's what it's meant.

00:30:46.619 --> 00:30:48.220
 So there is that difference of opinion

00:30:48.220 --> 00:30:50.460
 over how we should take the verse.

00:30:50.659 --> 00:30:52.439
 We're taking it at the moment

00:30:52.439 --> 00:30:54.220
 that we are singing psalms

00:30:54.220 --> 00:30:56.079
 of different catechises of psalms

00:30:56.079 --> 00:30:57.899
 in praise to God.

00:30:57.980 --> 00:31:00.539
 But irrespective of what our view is of that,

00:31:00.859 --> 00:31:01.319
 it's saying,

00:31:01.319 --> 00:31:03.679
 sing with thankfulness in your hearts to God

00:31:03.679 --> 00:31:05.200
 and sing together.

00:31:05.319 --> 00:31:06.539
 That's really the main feature

00:31:06.539 --> 00:31:08.399
 that we want to focus on this morning.

00:31:09.439 --> 00:31:12.980
 Sing together the praises of God

00:31:12.980 --> 00:31:15.899
 in congregational singing.

00:31:16.639 --> 00:31:18.119
 So what do we take from that?

00:31:18.179 --> 00:31:20.220
 And if we want to take out a few points,

00:31:20.500 --> 00:31:21.919
 these are just by way of introduction,

00:31:22.079 --> 00:31:23.159
 a bit longer than usual.

00:31:23.599 --> 00:31:25.119
 But what do we take from that

00:31:25.119 --> 00:31:27.359
 as we're looking at congregational singing

00:31:27.359 --> 00:31:29.639
 and the churches gather to sing

00:31:29.639 --> 00:31:30.959
 the praises of God?

00:31:31.019 --> 00:31:31.740
 Well, first of all,

00:31:32.179 --> 00:31:33.219
 our singing together

00:31:33.219 --> 00:31:35.919
 is actually commanded by God.

00:31:36.699 --> 00:31:38.399
 It's not something that we choose

00:31:38.399 --> 00:31:40.099
 to do or not to do.

00:31:41.019 --> 00:31:42.079
 Our singing together,

00:31:42.219 --> 00:31:43.439
 our congregational singing,

00:31:43.759 --> 00:31:45.719
 and our individual contribution to that

00:31:45.719 --> 00:31:47.539
 is commanded by God.

00:31:47.599 --> 00:31:48.179
 All you've got to do

00:31:48.179 --> 00:31:49.799
 is look through the book of psalms.

00:31:50.500 --> 00:31:52.439
 And as you look through the book of psalms,

00:31:52.440 --> 00:31:54.980
 you'll find so many psalms

00:31:54.980 --> 00:31:58.080
 in which God is purposefully commanding

00:31:58.080 --> 00:32:00.340
 or instructing His people to sing,

00:32:00.940 --> 00:32:02.880
 to glorify His name with singing,

00:32:03.240 --> 00:32:05.240
 to be together involved

00:32:05.240 --> 00:32:06.980
 in the singing of His praise.

00:32:07.500 --> 00:32:09.420
 Many, many times you'll find that

00:32:09.420 --> 00:32:10.600
 in the book of psalms.

00:32:10.759 --> 00:32:11.720
 Not only that,

00:32:11.799 --> 00:32:14.080
 but you'll find the likes of Psalm 792,

00:32:14.380 --> 00:32:16.460
 verse 1, Psalm 147.

00:32:16.900 --> 00:32:17.980
 Not only does it say

00:32:17.980 --> 00:32:20.100
 that it's something we must do

00:32:20.099 --> 00:32:21.399
 as commanded by God,

00:32:21.459 --> 00:32:22.679
 as instructed by God,

00:32:22.799 --> 00:32:25.659
 but that it is good for us to do so.

00:32:27.299 --> 00:32:28.399
 You see, some people think,

00:32:29.019 --> 00:32:29.719
 when you think of,

00:32:30.299 --> 00:32:34.219
 when we actually look at the fact

00:32:34.219 --> 00:32:36.099
 that the Bible is instructing us

00:32:36.099 --> 00:32:36.980
 to do many things,

00:32:37.319 --> 00:32:37.799
 in other words,

00:32:37.879 --> 00:32:39.179
 God is commanding us,

00:32:39.439 --> 00:32:40.119
 a lot of people think,

00:32:40.219 --> 00:32:41.459
 well, commanding things,

00:32:41.639 --> 00:32:42.779
 that's not really how it should,

00:32:42.779 --> 00:32:44.139
 it should be voluntary, shouldn't it?

00:32:44.159 --> 00:32:45.179
 It should be something

00:32:45.179 --> 00:32:47.059
 that we're willing to do of ourselves.

00:32:47.579 --> 00:32:48.539
 Well, that's all very well,

00:32:48.539 --> 00:32:50.259
 but sometimes we need God's command.

00:32:50.779 --> 00:32:51.839
 We need God's command

00:32:51.839 --> 00:32:54.379
 to actually make us think about

00:32:54.379 --> 00:32:55.379
 what we should be doing

00:32:55.379 --> 00:32:56.460
 and our responsibilities.

00:32:57.299 --> 00:32:59.240
 But when you come to Psalm 92,

00:32:59.379 --> 00:32:59.920
 for example,

00:33:00.319 --> 00:33:02.259
 it is a good thing

00:33:02.259 --> 00:33:04.259
 to sing the praises of God.

00:33:04.399 --> 00:33:05.599
 It's good for us

00:33:05.599 --> 00:33:07.220
 and it brings good to us.

00:33:07.639 --> 00:33:08.799
 And it's good in the sense

00:33:08.799 --> 00:33:09.839
 that God Himself

00:33:09.839 --> 00:33:11.399
 is being praised,

00:33:11.740 --> 00:33:13.819
 something which He regards as good.

00:33:14.920 --> 00:33:15.720
 It's a good thing

00:33:15.720 --> 00:33:17.019
 to praise the Lord

00:33:17.019 --> 00:33:18.120
 every morning,

00:33:18.240 --> 00:33:18.779
 every evening,

00:33:18.880 --> 00:33:20.140
 as that psalm says.

00:33:21.180 --> 00:33:21.720
 In other words,

00:33:22.100 --> 00:33:23.279
 the Bible doesn't just say

00:33:23.279 --> 00:33:24.880
 God requires us

00:33:24.880 --> 00:33:25.960
 to sing His praises,

00:33:26.480 --> 00:33:27.660
 but God emphasizes

00:33:27.660 --> 00:33:29.220
 what a good thing it is,

00:33:29.460 --> 00:33:31.579
 what a beneficial thing it is.

00:33:32.120 --> 00:33:33.299
 Not just good emotionally,

00:33:33.799 --> 00:33:35.440
 but it brings benefit.

00:33:35.700 --> 00:33:37.339
 We'll deal with that point in a minute.

00:33:37.339 --> 00:33:38.980
 It is good for us

00:33:38.980 --> 00:33:41.019
 to sing the praises of God

00:33:41.019 --> 00:33:42.819
 as instructed by God.

00:33:43.779 --> 00:33:44.159
 And in fact,

00:33:44.220 --> 00:33:46.039
 you come to this passage

00:33:46.039 --> 00:33:47.500
 and the corresponding passage

00:33:47.500 --> 00:33:48.960
 in Ephesians chapter 5.

00:33:49.659 --> 00:33:51.919
 You'll find in Ephesians

00:33:51.919 --> 00:33:52.819
 that that's the same

00:33:52.819 --> 00:33:54.139
 kind of emphasis there

00:33:54.139 --> 00:33:56.259
 where singing praises to God

00:33:56.259 --> 00:33:56.720
 is something

00:33:56.720 --> 00:33:58.679
 that's actually required

00:33:58.679 --> 00:34:00.159
 or commanded by God

00:34:00.159 --> 00:34:01.919
 as an aspect of the new life

00:34:01.919 --> 00:34:02.919
 that we've come to have

00:34:02.919 --> 00:34:04.579
 through faith in Christ.

00:34:04.679 --> 00:34:06.960
 But here is Colossians here

00:34:06.960 --> 00:34:08.079
 in chapter 3 saying,

00:34:09.000 --> 00:34:09.900
 let the word of Christ

00:34:09.900 --> 00:34:10.980
 dwell in you richly,

00:34:11.319 --> 00:34:12.460
 teaching and admonishing

00:34:12.460 --> 00:34:12.960
 one another.

00:34:13.059 --> 00:34:14.659
 That's an instruction from God.

00:34:15.260 --> 00:34:16.280
 You go back even to

00:34:16.280 --> 00:34:17.940
 verse 6 of the chapter there

00:34:17.940 --> 00:34:18.460
 and you'll find

00:34:18.460 --> 00:34:20.260
 the command is there as well

00:34:20.260 --> 00:34:22.099
 on account of where you find,

00:34:22.639 --> 00:34:23.619
 sorry, not verse 6,

00:34:24.159 --> 00:34:25.400
 you have to put away

00:34:25.400 --> 00:34:26.559
 all these things he's saying,

00:34:26.880 --> 00:34:27.820
 the things that now

00:34:27.820 --> 00:34:29.820
 characterize the life

00:34:29.820 --> 00:34:31.800
 that you actually once lived.

00:34:32.440 --> 00:34:33.539
 And then he moves on through

00:34:33.539 --> 00:34:34.039
 from there,

00:34:34.340 --> 00:34:35.480
 right through to this command

00:34:35.480 --> 00:34:36.139
 as instruction

00:34:36.139 --> 00:34:37.280
 to praise the Lord

00:34:37.280 --> 00:34:39.220
 and to do so with singing

00:34:39.219 --> 00:34:40.899
 as well as also

00:34:40.899 --> 00:34:42.179
 with thankfulness

00:34:42.179 --> 00:34:43.059
 in our hearts.

00:34:45.500 --> 00:34:46.480
 Singing praise

00:34:46.480 --> 00:34:48.379
 is not an optional aspect

00:34:48.379 --> 00:34:48.980
 of worship.

00:34:50.239 --> 00:34:51.480
 It's something that's required

00:34:51.480 --> 00:34:52.039
 by God

00:34:52.039 --> 00:34:53.359
 as an essential part

00:34:53.359 --> 00:34:55.219
 of how we worship Him

00:34:55.219 --> 00:34:56.019
 together

00:34:56.019 --> 00:34:57.279
 as well as worshiping Him

00:34:57.279 --> 00:34:58.379
 individually.

00:34:59.099 --> 00:34:59.859
 And as we've said,

00:34:59.959 --> 00:35:00.699
 even if we're not,

00:35:01.179 --> 00:35:02.459
 wouldn't class ourselves

00:35:02.459 --> 00:35:03.159
 as singers,

00:35:03.919 --> 00:35:04.939
 wouldn't class ourselves

00:35:04.940 --> 00:35:06.059
 as having a good voice.

00:35:06.260 --> 00:35:06.820
 It's not really

00:35:06.820 --> 00:35:07.579
 the important thing.

00:35:07.639 --> 00:35:08.440
 You see what I was saying there?

00:35:09.360 --> 00:35:10.400
 With thankfulness

00:35:10.400 --> 00:35:11.380
 in your hearts

00:35:11.380 --> 00:35:13.059
 to God.

00:35:13.860 --> 00:35:14.900
 It's not primarily

00:35:14.900 --> 00:35:16.780
 a matter of our quality

00:35:16.780 --> 00:35:17.500
 of voice,

00:35:17.619 --> 00:35:18.380
 though that is good,

00:35:18.460 --> 00:35:19.619
 is gifted by God.

00:35:20.420 --> 00:35:21.460
 It's the heart really,

00:35:21.579 --> 00:35:22.079
 as we'll see,

00:35:22.860 --> 00:35:24.860
 that the inward soul

00:35:24.860 --> 00:35:27.099
 from which our singing emanates.

00:35:28.280 --> 00:35:29.119
 But it's important

00:35:29.119 --> 00:35:30.400
 to realize that singing,

00:35:30.980 --> 00:35:32.420
 singing praise to God

00:35:32.420 --> 00:35:35.619
 is commanded by God,

00:35:35.920 --> 00:35:37.079
 required by God.

00:35:37.460 --> 00:35:38.320
 It's an instruction

00:35:38.320 --> 00:35:39.980
 from God.

00:35:41.079 --> 00:35:41.519
 Secondly,

00:35:41.619 --> 00:35:42.440
 our singing together

00:35:42.440 --> 00:35:43.740
 expresses

00:35:43.740 --> 00:35:45.880
 important realities.

00:35:46.820 --> 00:35:47.599
 Through singing

00:35:47.599 --> 00:35:48.460
 the praise of God,

00:35:48.559 --> 00:35:49.860
 we express things,

00:35:50.380 --> 00:35:51.460
 especially as they're revealed

00:35:51.460 --> 00:35:52.480
 to us in the Bible,

00:35:53.220 --> 00:35:54.280
 we express things

00:35:54.280 --> 00:35:56.539
 that are important realities,

00:35:56.639 --> 00:35:57.159
 I've called it,

00:35:57.380 --> 00:35:58.260
 to ourselves.

00:35:58.860 --> 00:35:59.980
 And I'm going to focus

00:35:59.980 --> 00:36:00.639
 on two things,

00:36:00.700 --> 00:36:01.460
 especially in that.

00:36:01.460 --> 00:36:02.780
 The important realities,

00:36:03.099 --> 00:36:03.579
 first of all,

00:36:03.720 --> 00:36:04.619
 God's character

00:36:04.619 --> 00:36:05.740
 and His works.

00:36:06.760 --> 00:36:07.559
 And then secondly,

00:36:08.059 --> 00:36:09.280
 our own experiences.

00:36:10.159 --> 00:36:11.220
 Because we sing

00:36:11.220 --> 00:36:13.139
 about God's character,

00:36:13.599 --> 00:36:14.539
 we sing to Him

00:36:14.539 --> 00:36:15.820
 in praise of His character

00:36:15.820 --> 00:36:16.539
 and His works,

00:36:17.099 --> 00:36:19.340
 but we also sing out

00:36:19.340 --> 00:36:20.460
 our experiences.

00:36:20.980 --> 00:36:21.260
 And again,

00:36:21.320 --> 00:36:21.860
 we'll see that

00:36:21.860 --> 00:36:23.119
 from the book of Psalms.

00:36:24.519 --> 00:36:25.800
 God's character

00:36:25.800 --> 00:36:26.639
 and God's work

00:36:26.639 --> 00:36:27.740
 frequently

00:36:27.740 --> 00:36:29.440
 in the book of Psalms.

00:36:29.440 --> 00:36:30.800
 Let me just pick

00:36:30.800 --> 00:36:31.639
 on a couple,

00:36:31.820 --> 00:36:32.119
 just as,

00:36:32.780 --> 00:36:33.559
 I'm sure you're

00:36:33.559 --> 00:36:34.220
 very well aware

00:36:34.220 --> 00:36:34.599
 of these,

00:36:34.659 --> 00:36:34.960
 I know.

00:36:36.039 --> 00:36:36.960
 Like, for example,

00:36:37.099 --> 00:36:37.780
 Psalm 100.

00:36:38.700 --> 00:36:40.300
 Make a joyful noise

00:36:40.300 --> 00:36:40.760
 to the Lord.

00:36:40.840 --> 00:36:41.820
 See, there's the instruction

00:36:41.820 --> 00:36:42.240
 again,

00:36:42.300 --> 00:36:43.059
 it's a commandment.

00:36:43.599 --> 00:36:44.500
 Serve the Lord

00:36:44.500 --> 00:36:45.240
 with gladness.

00:36:45.460 --> 00:36:47.320
 Come into His presence

00:36:47.320 --> 00:36:49.039
 with singing.

00:36:49.579 --> 00:36:49.800
 Why?

00:36:50.000 --> 00:36:50.320
 For,

00:36:50.900 --> 00:36:52.200
 know that He is God.

00:36:52.300 --> 00:36:53.000
 He made us.

00:36:53.240 --> 00:36:53.960
 We are His people.

00:36:54.220 --> 00:36:54.880
 We are the sheep

00:36:54.880 --> 00:36:55.639
 of His pasture.

00:36:55.639 --> 00:36:57.779
 For the Lord is good.

00:36:58.179 --> 00:36:59.239
 His steadfast love

00:36:59.239 --> 00:37:00.219
 endured forever.

00:37:00.519 --> 00:37:01.559
 His faithfulness

00:37:01.559 --> 00:37:03.079
 to all generations.

00:37:03.259 --> 00:37:04.480
 What is that saying to us?

00:37:04.920 --> 00:37:05.460
 Saying to us,

00:37:05.539 --> 00:37:06.139
 here are features

00:37:06.139 --> 00:37:07.219
 of God's character

00:37:07.219 --> 00:37:08.559
 and of God's work

00:37:08.559 --> 00:37:09.619
 and of God's relationship

00:37:09.619 --> 00:37:10.359
 with His people.

00:37:10.619 --> 00:37:12.259
 So you sing praise

00:37:12.259 --> 00:37:13.460
 in relation to that.

00:37:13.679 --> 00:37:15.019
 You take these great truths,

00:37:15.139 --> 00:37:16.079
 these great realities,

00:37:16.319 --> 00:37:17.859
 you build them into your praise

00:37:17.859 --> 00:37:18.879
 as the psalmist is saying,

00:37:19.219 --> 00:37:19.839
 and Lord,

00:37:20.159 --> 00:37:21.079
 we know that you

00:37:21.079 --> 00:37:21.839
 are a shepherd

00:37:21.839 --> 00:37:22.559
 to your people.

00:37:22.819 --> 00:37:23.480
 We know that you're

00:37:23.480 --> 00:37:24.139
 our Savior.

00:37:24.139 --> 00:37:25.339
 We know that you've done

00:37:25.339 --> 00:37:26.339
 all these and you continue

00:37:26.339 --> 00:37:27.299
 to do all these things.

00:37:27.679 --> 00:37:29.420
 So I sing praises

00:37:29.420 --> 00:37:30.539
 because of that.

00:37:31.480 --> 00:37:33.420
 Or you go to Psalm 136,

00:37:33.500 --> 00:37:33.980
 the only other one

00:37:33.980 --> 00:37:34.480
 I'm going to mention

00:37:34.480 --> 00:37:35.019
 just now.

00:37:36.319 --> 00:37:37.379
 Psalm 136 is

00:37:37.379 --> 00:37:38.759
 quite a remarkable psalm

00:37:38.759 --> 00:37:39.940
 for the way that it repeats

00:37:39.940 --> 00:37:41.019
 certain things

00:37:41.019 --> 00:37:41.819
 all the way through.

00:37:43.099 --> 00:37:44.639
 Give thanks to the Lord

00:37:44.639 --> 00:37:46.079
 for He is good

00:37:46.079 --> 00:37:47.879
 for His steadfast love

00:37:47.879 --> 00:37:49.000
 endures forever.

00:37:49.559 --> 00:37:51.259
 Give thanks to the God of gods

00:37:51.259 --> 00:37:52.859
 for His steadfast love

00:37:52.859 --> 00:37:53.659
 endures forever.

00:37:53.659 --> 00:37:55.539
 And that's the refrain

00:37:55.539 --> 00:37:57.000
 throughout the psalm,

00:37:57.079 --> 00:37:58.359
 for His steadfast love

00:37:58.359 --> 00:37:59.519
 endures forever,

00:37:59.859 --> 00:38:01.500
 repeated again and again

00:38:01.500 --> 00:38:03.859
 just as a prominent note

00:38:03.859 --> 00:38:06.219
 in the teaching of the psalm.

00:38:06.279 --> 00:38:07.199
 But as you go through,

00:38:07.679 --> 00:38:08.719
 you can see all the things

00:38:08.719 --> 00:38:09.759
 that are related to that.

00:38:09.859 --> 00:38:11.199
 God, the creator

00:38:11.199 --> 00:38:11.980
 of the universe,

00:38:12.619 --> 00:38:13.259
 God who dealt

00:38:13.259 --> 00:38:14.539
 with the enemies of Israel,

00:38:15.179 --> 00:38:16.639
 God who divided the Red Sea

00:38:16.639 --> 00:38:17.980
 miraculously for them,

00:38:18.379 --> 00:38:19.819
 God who overthrew Pharaoh,

00:38:19.940 --> 00:38:21.059
 God led His people,

00:38:21.599 --> 00:38:22.779
 and so on all the way down.

00:38:22.780 --> 00:38:24.580
 You see these great realities

00:38:24.580 --> 00:38:25.600
 that are mentioned

00:38:25.600 --> 00:38:26.760
 as God's character

00:38:26.760 --> 00:38:28.500
 and God's work is revealed.

00:38:28.620 --> 00:38:29.720
 What is our response

00:38:29.720 --> 00:38:30.840
 to God's character

00:38:30.840 --> 00:38:31.720
 and to God's work?

00:38:32.260 --> 00:38:32.900
 Praise.

00:38:34.380 --> 00:38:35.860
 Singing is praise.

00:38:36.540 --> 00:38:38.280
 Singing is praise together.

00:38:39.780 --> 00:38:41.620
 Singing is praise congregationally.

00:38:41.619 --> 00:38:46.380
 And when you go to Exodus chapter 15,

00:38:48.059 --> 00:38:48.940
 there are the people

00:38:48.940 --> 00:38:51.799
 just newly out of Egypt

00:38:51.799 --> 00:38:53.299
 and having gone through the Red Sea

00:38:53.299 --> 00:38:54.779
 and seen the Egyptians

00:38:54.779 --> 00:38:55.819
 pursuing them

00:38:55.819 --> 00:38:57.839
 and God in His judgment

00:38:57.839 --> 00:38:58.839
 bringing the sea

00:38:58.839 --> 00:39:00.420
 over the Egyptians

00:39:00.420 --> 00:39:01.980
 to destroy them in the Red Sea.

00:39:02.059 --> 00:39:02.960
 And what did Israel do?

00:39:03.259 --> 00:39:04.380
 What did Moses do?

00:39:04.940 --> 00:39:05.539
 Well, you read there

00:39:05.539 --> 00:39:06.900
 the beginning of chapter 15

00:39:06.900 --> 00:39:07.440
 of Exodus.

00:39:07.440 --> 00:39:09.659
 Then Moses and Israel

00:39:09.659 --> 00:39:11.539
 sang this song.

00:39:12.539 --> 00:39:13.659
 And the rest of the chapter

00:39:13.659 --> 00:39:16.220
 is the song that they sang.

00:39:17.400 --> 00:39:19.159
 They sang praise to God

00:39:19.159 --> 00:39:22.159
 as they looked at

00:39:22.159 --> 00:39:23.500
 what had happened

00:39:23.500 --> 00:39:24.820
 and what they were singing about.

00:39:25.420 --> 00:39:27.460
 They were celebrating victory,

00:39:27.639 --> 00:39:28.500
 but they were celebrating

00:39:28.500 --> 00:39:30.280
 God's victory.

00:39:31.139 --> 00:39:32.119
 They were celebrating

00:39:32.119 --> 00:39:33.579
 God's actions.

00:39:34.200 --> 00:39:35.000
 They were celebrating

00:39:35.000 --> 00:39:36.219
 God's greatness.

00:39:36.380 --> 00:39:37.559
 Yes, He had preserved them.

00:39:37.820 --> 00:39:38.500
 He had led them.

00:39:38.579 --> 00:39:39.739
 He had kept them safe.

00:39:39.940 --> 00:39:41.699
 But He's the one to be praised.

00:39:41.880 --> 00:39:42.460
 And they're singing

00:39:42.460 --> 00:39:44.199
 the praises of God

00:39:44.199 --> 00:39:45.559
 as they sang this song

00:39:45.559 --> 00:39:48.699
 described in Exodus 15.

00:39:49.340 --> 00:39:50.179
 And you know, remarkably,

00:39:50.480 --> 00:39:51.239
 you can take that

00:39:51.239 --> 00:39:52.820
 right through the whole Bible

00:39:52.820 --> 00:39:54.960
 on into the book of Revelation

00:39:54.960 --> 00:39:56.559
 and chapter 15.

00:39:57.039 --> 00:39:58.079
 And you read there

00:39:58.079 --> 00:39:58.960
 something remarkable

00:39:58.960 --> 00:40:00.320
 that the singing in heaven

00:40:00.320 --> 00:40:02.239
 is the song of Moses

00:40:02.239 --> 00:40:03.739
 and of the Lamb.

00:40:05.000 --> 00:40:06.419
 The song of Moses

00:40:06.419 --> 00:40:07.739
 and of the Lamb.

00:40:07.819 --> 00:40:08.259
 In other words,

00:40:08.339 --> 00:40:10.419
 the same celebratory,

00:40:10.619 --> 00:40:12.039
 triumphant note

00:40:12.039 --> 00:40:13.119
 in singing

00:40:13.119 --> 00:40:15.339
 from Exodus

00:40:15.339 --> 00:40:16.559
 through to Revelation,

00:40:17.139 --> 00:40:17.919
 from this world

00:40:17.919 --> 00:40:18.919
 right through to heaven.

00:40:19.939 --> 00:40:21.699
 It's the praise of God.

00:40:23.179 --> 00:40:24.039
 Isn't it

00:40:24.039 --> 00:40:25.659
 precious

00:40:25.659 --> 00:40:29.279
 that eternity

00:40:29.279 --> 00:40:30.379
 is going to be spent

00:40:30.380 --> 00:40:31.340
 for God's people?

00:40:32.059 --> 00:40:33.579
 Singing praise to God.

00:40:34.280 --> 00:40:35.180
 Yes, there'll be other things,

00:40:35.320 --> 00:40:36.680
 but that's a prominent feature

00:40:36.680 --> 00:40:37.720
 of what heaven

00:40:37.720 --> 00:40:38.800
 is going to be about.

00:40:39.280 --> 00:40:41.240
 Singing the praises of God.

00:40:41.360 --> 00:40:42.539
 Singing the song of Moses

00:40:42.539 --> 00:40:44.300
 and of the Lamb of Jesus.

00:40:45.619 --> 00:40:46.160
 Celebrating

00:40:46.160 --> 00:40:48.720
 God's triumphant victory

00:40:48.720 --> 00:40:49.740
 over sin,

00:40:50.019 --> 00:40:50.660
 over Satan,

00:40:50.840 --> 00:40:51.559
 over death

00:40:51.559 --> 00:40:53.059
 by the cross

00:40:53.059 --> 00:40:54.539
 and the resurrection of Christ.

00:40:54.700 --> 00:40:56.220
 That's the song of heaven.

00:40:56.579 --> 00:40:57.980
 But it's sung song.

00:40:58.200 --> 00:40:59.760
 It's congregational song.

00:40:59.760 --> 00:41:00.880
 It's everybody

00:41:00.880 --> 00:41:01.780
 participating

00:41:01.780 --> 00:41:03.080
 in the praise of God.

00:41:03.320 --> 00:41:04.400
 And what we're doing here

00:41:04.400 --> 00:41:05.280
 on earth

00:41:05.280 --> 00:41:06.300
 in this world

00:41:06.300 --> 00:41:07.100
 as we sing

00:41:07.100 --> 00:41:07.760
 of the character

00:41:07.760 --> 00:41:08.920
 and the works of God

00:41:08.920 --> 00:41:10.620
 is anticipating

00:41:10.620 --> 00:41:12.140
 the glorious singing

00:41:12.140 --> 00:41:12.780
 of heaven.

00:41:14.640 --> 00:41:15.900
 What a privilege.

00:41:17.040 --> 00:41:18.160
 What a privilege

00:41:18.160 --> 00:41:19.460
 to be a participant

00:41:19.460 --> 00:41:21.360
 in a congregation

00:41:21.360 --> 00:41:22.340
 that sings

00:41:22.340 --> 00:41:23.620
 the praise of God.

00:41:23.619 --> 00:41:23.659
 God.

00:41:25.079 --> 00:41:27.119
 And the praise this morning,

00:41:27.219 --> 00:41:28.059
 the singing this morning,

00:41:28.859 --> 00:41:29.960
 I have to say,

00:41:30.039 --> 00:41:30.880
 was, as it usually,

00:41:31.000 --> 00:41:31.639
 very good.

00:41:32.900 --> 00:41:33.920
 And it's especially so

00:41:33.920 --> 00:41:35.480
 when certain harmonies

00:41:35.480 --> 00:41:36.119
 come through

00:41:36.119 --> 00:41:37.519
 in the singing.

00:41:38.359 --> 00:41:40.480
 And there's that

00:41:40.480 --> 00:41:42.359
 quality of sung praise

00:41:42.359 --> 00:41:43.199
 which reflects

00:41:43.199 --> 00:41:44.000
 our gratitude,

00:41:44.480 --> 00:41:45.400
 our thankfulness

00:41:45.400 --> 00:41:46.039
 to God.

00:41:46.039 --> 00:41:46.079
 God.

00:41:48.019 --> 00:41:48.800
 So, you see,

00:41:48.860 --> 00:41:49.960
 our present praise

00:41:49.960 --> 00:41:50.539
 of God

00:41:50.539 --> 00:41:52.320
 is actually linked

00:41:52.320 --> 00:41:53.539
 to the past,

00:41:53.880 --> 00:41:55.119
 to God's great works

00:41:55.119 --> 00:41:55.800
 of redemption

00:41:55.800 --> 00:41:56.619
 in the past,

00:41:56.779 --> 00:41:58.039
 but it also links us

00:41:58.039 --> 00:41:58.820
 to the future,

00:41:59.579 --> 00:42:00.259
 to what's going to be

00:42:00.259 --> 00:42:01.039
 true in heaven.

00:42:01.139 --> 00:42:02.300
 So, here you are today,

00:42:02.659 --> 00:42:03.199
 a congregation

00:42:03.199 --> 00:42:04.019
 of people

00:42:04.019 --> 00:42:04.539
 who sing

00:42:04.539 --> 00:42:05.739
 the praise of God,

00:42:05.880 --> 00:42:06.679
 and you're conscious

00:42:06.679 --> 00:42:07.719
 that you're connected

00:42:07.719 --> 00:42:09.259
 to the praises of God

00:42:09.259 --> 00:42:09.920
 in the past

00:42:09.920 --> 00:42:10.820
 for His character

00:42:10.820 --> 00:42:11.559
 and for His works,

00:42:11.779 --> 00:42:13.219
 and you're also conscious

00:42:13.219 --> 00:42:14.039
 you're connected

00:42:14.039 --> 00:42:14.799
 to the future

00:42:14.799 --> 00:42:15.699
 for God's people,

00:42:15.939 --> 00:42:17.079
 the singing of heaven.

00:42:18.819 --> 00:42:19.959
 It's the same praise,

00:42:20.759 --> 00:42:21.679
 the same God,

00:42:23.059 --> 00:42:24.099
 the same privilege,

00:42:26.219 --> 00:42:29.039
 singing with thankfulness

00:42:29.039 --> 00:42:29.779
 in your hearts

00:42:29.779 --> 00:42:31.039
 to God.

00:42:31.099 --> 00:42:32.259
 Now, what does that give us

00:42:32.259 --> 00:42:35.119
 when we do that together?

00:42:36.739 --> 00:42:37.859
 What does that do

00:42:37.859 --> 00:42:39.500
 more so than when we sing

00:42:39.500 --> 00:42:40.519
 by ourselves,

00:42:40.699 --> 00:42:41.859
 good though that is?

00:42:41.860 --> 00:42:43.960
 Well, doesn't it convey

00:42:43.960 --> 00:42:45.579
 together,

00:42:45.840 --> 00:42:47.620
 because it's being done together,

00:42:47.760 --> 00:42:49.640
 doesn't it really convey

00:42:49.640 --> 00:42:51.539
 a great sense of wonder

00:42:51.539 --> 00:42:53.500
 that God should be

00:42:53.500 --> 00:42:54.720
 this God to us,

00:42:55.140 --> 00:42:56.460
 that God should have done

00:42:56.460 --> 00:42:58.300
 all these things for us?

00:42:59.059 --> 00:43:00.260
 And doesn't it convey

00:43:00.260 --> 00:43:02.400
 as well as this sense

00:43:02.400 --> 00:43:03.140
 of wonder

00:43:03.140 --> 00:43:04.700
 as we sing together,

00:43:04.920 --> 00:43:05.700
 doesn't it convey

00:43:05.700 --> 00:43:06.960
 a sense of belonging?

00:43:08.700 --> 00:43:10.200
 Isn't it as you come together

00:43:10.200 --> 00:43:11.200
 to praise the Lord

00:43:11.199 --> 00:43:12.559
 more so than when you sing

00:43:12.559 --> 00:43:13.279
 on your own,

00:43:13.599 --> 00:43:14.799
 that you have that sense

00:43:14.799 --> 00:43:16.539
 of belonging to this people

00:43:16.539 --> 00:43:18.099
 who praise the Lord,

00:43:19.379 --> 00:43:20.539
 belonging to this people

00:43:20.539 --> 00:43:21.919
 whose privilege it is

00:43:21.919 --> 00:43:23.359
 to sing the praises

00:43:23.359 --> 00:43:24.359
 of God together?

00:43:26.699 --> 00:43:27.739
 Our singing together

00:43:27.739 --> 00:43:30.139
 expresses the important realities

00:43:30.139 --> 00:43:31.419
 of God's character

00:43:31.419 --> 00:43:33.239
 and God's works,

00:43:33.419 --> 00:43:33.939
 but secondly,

00:43:34.339 --> 00:43:36.239
 it also expresses

00:43:36.239 --> 00:43:38.519
 the reality of our experiences.

00:43:38.519 --> 00:43:42.199
 as you go to the book

00:43:42.199 --> 00:43:42.960
 of Psalms again,

00:43:43.059 --> 00:43:44.920
 you find sadness

00:43:44.920 --> 00:43:48.099
 and joy side by side.

00:43:49.039 --> 00:43:50.599
 So many of the Psalms

00:43:50.599 --> 00:43:52.280
 express the joy

00:43:52.280 --> 00:43:53.420
 of David and the other

00:43:53.420 --> 00:43:54.059
 psalmists

00:43:54.059 --> 00:43:55.679
 as they collectively,

00:43:55.800 --> 00:43:57.420
 as they sang the praises

00:43:57.420 --> 00:43:58.679
 of God with the people

00:43:58.679 --> 00:43:59.300
 of God,

00:43:59.699 --> 00:44:00.320
 the joy,

00:44:00.619 --> 00:44:02.820
 I joyed when to the house

00:44:02.820 --> 00:44:03.460
 of God,

00:44:03.800 --> 00:44:04.300
 go up,

00:44:04.380 --> 00:44:05.340
 they said to me.

00:44:05.340 --> 00:44:08.260
 And so many of the Psalms

00:44:08.260 --> 00:44:10.660
 have those wonderful features

00:44:10.660 --> 00:44:14.000
 of praise and thankfulness

00:44:14.000 --> 00:44:15.539
 and joy in their praise.

00:44:15.660 --> 00:44:16.300
 Psalm 27,

00:44:16.420 --> 00:44:18.300
 the Lord is my light

00:44:18.300 --> 00:44:19.420
 and my salvation.

00:44:19.860 --> 00:44:21.100
 Whom shall I fear?

00:44:21.820 --> 00:44:23.260
 The Lord is the strength

00:44:23.260 --> 00:44:24.039
 of my life.

00:44:24.420 --> 00:44:25.880
 Of whom shall I be afraid?

00:44:26.180 --> 00:44:26.660
 Triumph!

00:44:26.800 --> 00:44:27.240
 Joy!

00:44:27.239 --> 00:44:27.599
 Joy!

00:44:29.759 --> 00:44:30.599
 And all the way

00:44:30.599 --> 00:44:31.359
 through the Psalms,

00:44:32.119 --> 00:44:32.799
 you have that note

00:44:32.799 --> 00:44:35.000
 of joy prominently displayed.

00:44:35.739 --> 00:44:36.439
 The reality

00:44:36.439 --> 00:44:38.179
 of joy

00:44:38.179 --> 00:44:39.179
 in our experience.

00:44:39.299 --> 00:44:40.299
 But there's the other side.

00:44:41.679 --> 00:44:42.579
 You don't just sing

00:44:42.579 --> 00:44:43.579
 the praises of God

00:44:43.579 --> 00:44:45.039
 when you're joyous,

00:44:45.459 --> 00:44:46.899
 when your heart is glad,

00:44:47.199 --> 00:44:48.519
 when you feel lifted up.

00:44:49.139 --> 00:44:50.679
 You sing the praises of God

00:44:50.679 --> 00:44:51.659
 when you're sad,

00:44:52.359 --> 00:44:54.139
 when your heart is heavy,

00:44:54.139 --> 00:44:56.359
 when you have something

00:44:56.359 --> 00:44:57.539
 to be grieved about.

00:44:59.480 --> 00:45:01.179
 That's what the Psalms teach us.

00:45:02.179 --> 00:45:03.579
 Psalm 38, for example.

00:45:04.480 --> 00:45:05.139
 You see how that,

00:45:05.519 --> 00:45:06.219
 all the way through

00:45:06.219 --> 00:45:07.420
 that Psalm, really,

00:45:07.519 --> 00:45:08.199
 it's pretty much

00:45:08.199 --> 00:45:09.579
 a note of sadness.

00:45:10.900 --> 00:45:12.119
 Lord, rebuke me not

00:45:12.119 --> 00:45:12.819
 in your anger,

00:45:13.359 --> 00:45:14.359
 not discipline me

00:45:14.359 --> 00:45:15.119
 in your wrath.

00:45:16.099 --> 00:45:16.920
 He's talking there,

00:45:17.000 --> 00:45:17.239
 of course,

00:45:17.279 --> 00:45:17.859
 of his sins

00:45:17.859 --> 00:45:18.759
 as the Psalm goes on

00:45:18.759 --> 00:45:19.379
 to speak about

00:45:19.379 --> 00:45:21.099
 his own personal sense

00:45:21.099 --> 00:45:22.539
 of sinfulness and guilt.

00:45:22.539 --> 00:45:24.099
 There is no soundness

00:45:24.099 --> 00:45:24.840
 in my flesh.

00:45:25.199 --> 00:45:26.340
 My iniquities have gone

00:45:26.340 --> 00:45:27.199
 over my head

00:45:27.199 --> 00:45:28.559
 like a heavy burden.

00:45:28.699 --> 00:45:30.039
 They are too heavy for me.

00:45:30.599 --> 00:45:32.039
 My sighing is not hidden

00:45:32.039 --> 00:45:32.699
 from you.

00:45:33.219 --> 00:45:34.579
 My friends and companions

00:45:34.579 --> 00:45:35.599
 stand aloof

00:45:35.599 --> 00:45:37.019
 from my plague.

00:45:37.400 --> 00:45:38.440
 My nearest kin

00:45:38.440 --> 00:45:40.119
 stand afar off.

00:45:40.239 --> 00:45:41.480
 All the way through the Psalm,

00:45:41.559 --> 00:45:42.539
 you've got these notes

00:45:43.360 --> 00:45:44.300
 again and again

00:45:44.300 --> 00:45:44.539
 of sadness,

00:45:45.460 --> 00:45:46.500
 of despondency,

00:45:47.039 --> 00:45:48.539
 and of grief

00:45:49.420 --> 00:45:50.259
 in his heart.

00:45:50.260 --> 00:45:52.540
 But then you stop,

00:45:52.620 --> 00:45:52.800
 you see,

00:45:52.860 --> 00:45:53.160
 and you say,

00:45:53.240 --> 00:45:53.380
 well,

00:45:54.420 --> 00:45:55.220
 that's a Psalm

00:45:55.220 --> 00:45:56.220
 that God has given us

00:45:56.220 --> 00:45:57.260
 to sing together.

00:45:58.780 --> 00:46:00.220
 You don't just confine

00:46:00.220 --> 00:46:01.080
 your singings

00:46:01.080 --> 00:46:02.500
 to the Psalms

00:46:02.500 --> 00:46:03.300
 of exuberance

00:46:03.300 --> 00:46:04.100
 and of joy.

00:46:04.720 --> 00:46:05.560
 It's a privilege

00:46:05.560 --> 00:46:06.200
 to sing them,

00:46:06.280 --> 00:46:06.820
 but it's equally

00:46:06.820 --> 00:46:07.340
 a privilege

00:46:07.340 --> 00:46:08.800
 to be able to sing

00:46:08.800 --> 00:46:09.200
 together

00:46:09.200 --> 00:46:10.560
 from sad hearts,

00:46:11.400 --> 00:46:12.840
 from hearts

00:46:12.840 --> 00:46:13.660
 that experience

00:46:13.660 --> 00:46:14.660
 the pains

00:46:14.660 --> 00:46:15.780
 of this life,

00:46:16.340 --> 00:46:16.960
 the challenges

00:46:16.960 --> 00:46:17.980
 of this life,

00:46:17.980 --> 00:46:19.420
 the struggles

00:46:19.420 --> 00:46:20.519
 of this life,

00:46:21.519 --> 00:46:22.780
 the losses

00:46:22.780 --> 00:46:23.559
 of this life

00:46:23.559 --> 00:46:24.559
 as well as the gains.

00:46:25.400 --> 00:46:25.880
 But you see,

00:46:25.940 --> 00:46:26.940
 here's a great privilege.

00:46:27.619 --> 00:46:28.500
 We can sing

00:46:28.500 --> 00:46:29.480
 these out

00:46:29.480 --> 00:46:30.059
 to God

00:46:30.059 --> 00:46:30.780
 and we can sing

00:46:30.780 --> 00:46:31.760
 them out together

00:46:31.760 --> 00:46:32.760
 to God.

00:46:33.539 --> 00:46:35.000
 We share together

00:46:35.000 --> 00:46:35.599
 in the singing

00:46:35.599 --> 00:46:37.059
 of our sorrows

00:46:37.059 --> 00:46:37.960
 as well as the singing

00:46:37.960 --> 00:46:39.179
 of our joys.

00:46:39.639 --> 00:46:40.420
 And what a difference

00:46:40.420 --> 00:46:41.420
 that makes to you

00:46:41.420 --> 00:46:42.199
 as an individual

00:46:42.199 --> 00:46:43.440
 that you're singing

00:46:43.440 --> 00:46:45.260
 together with other people

00:46:45.260 --> 00:46:46.380
 who together

00:46:46.380 --> 00:46:47.240
 as you sing

00:46:47.240 --> 00:46:48.740
 the praises of God,

00:46:49.060 --> 00:46:49.880
 whether in sadness

00:46:49.880 --> 00:46:50.940
 or in joy,

00:46:51.360 --> 00:46:52.480
 we're all together

00:46:52.480 --> 00:46:53.300
 in the singing.

00:46:53.600 --> 00:46:54.220
 We're all together

00:46:54.220 --> 00:46:54.920
 in the praise.

00:46:55.260 --> 00:46:55.760
 We're saying

00:46:55.760 --> 00:46:56.500
 to one another

00:46:56.500 --> 00:46:57.460
 as we sing

00:46:57.460 --> 00:46:59.280
 our praises to God,

00:46:59.700 --> 00:47:00.040
 Lord,

00:47:00.160 --> 00:47:00.740
 collectively,

00:47:01.120 --> 00:47:02.180
 hear us today

00:47:02.180 --> 00:47:03.940
 because our heart

00:47:03.940 --> 00:47:04.620
 is going out

00:47:04.620 --> 00:47:05.140
 to you.

00:47:06.720 --> 00:47:07.340
 I think

00:47:07.340 --> 00:47:09.100
 the more I've gone on

00:47:09.100 --> 00:47:11.000
 in my Christian experience,

00:47:11.700 --> 00:47:12.980
 the more I've come

00:47:12.980 --> 00:47:13.679
 to value

00:47:13.679 --> 00:47:15.679
 and to appreciate

00:47:15.679 --> 00:47:17.500
 the benefit

00:47:17.500 --> 00:47:18.340
 we receive

00:47:18.340 --> 00:47:19.699
 from singing together

00:47:19.699 --> 00:47:21.360
 even when it's times

00:47:21.360 --> 00:47:22.500
 of singing out

00:47:22.500 --> 00:47:23.679
 our pains.

00:47:25.440 --> 00:47:26.320
 Just to know

00:47:26.320 --> 00:47:27.119
 that someone else

00:47:27.119 --> 00:47:28.260
 is singing with you

00:47:28.260 --> 00:47:30.099
 and wanting to participate

00:47:30.099 --> 00:47:30.699
 with you

00:47:30.699 --> 00:47:31.780
 and to share with you

00:47:31.780 --> 00:47:33.360
 in the sorrow

00:47:33.360 --> 00:47:34.000
 of your heart

00:47:34.000 --> 00:47:35.139
 as well as the joys

00:47:35.139 --> 00:47:35.920
 of your heart,

00:47:37.199 --> 00:47:38.320
 isn't that therapeutic?

00:47:39.940 --> 00:47:40.699
 Isn't that really

00:47:40.699 --> 00:47:41.500
 in a sense

00:47:41.500 --> 00:47:42.340
 strengthening

00:47:42.340 --> 00:47:43.500
 and confirmatory?

00:47:44.960 --> 00:47:45.539
 And doesn't it

00:47:45.539 --> 00:47:46.159
 give you again

00:47:46.159 --> 00:47:46.900
 that sense

00:47:46.900 --> 00:47:48.139
 of great privilege

00:47:48.139 --> 00:47:49.000
 and wonder

00:47:49.000 --> 00:47:50.800
 and thankfulness

00:47:50.800 --> 00:47:51.420
 to God

00:47:51.420 --> 00:47:52.920
 that you belong

00:47:52.920 --> 00:47:54.099
 to that kind

00:47:54.099 --> 00:47:54.579
 of body

00:47:54.579 --> 00:47:55.239
 of people

00:47:55.239 --> 00:47:57.300
 who share together

00:47:57.300 --> 00:47:58.760
 in their experiences

00:47:58.760 --> 00:48:00.579
 and whose experiences

00:48:00.579 --> 00:48:01.840
 are shared out

00:48:01.840 --> 00:48:02.960
 together in song,

00:48:03.599 --> 00:48:04.139
 in singing

00:48:04.139 --> 00:48:05.300
 the praises

00:48:05.300 --> 00:48:06.079
 of God?

00:48:06.980 --> 00:48:07.280
 You see,

00:48:07.360 --> 00:48:07.880
 that goes back

00:48:07.880 --> 00:48:08.739
 to what we said

00:48:08.739 --> 00:48:09.519
 at the very beginning,

00:48:10.039 --> 00:48:10.619
 the importance

00:48:10.619 --> 00:48:11.980
 of actually being

00:48:11.980 --> 00:48:12.519
 together,

00:48:12.920 --> 00:48:14.119
 gathering together

00:48:14.119 --> 00:48:16.480
 instead of just being

00:48:16.480 --> 00:48:17.940
 as we are able

00:48:17.940 --> 00:48:18.679
 to at times

00:48:18.679 --> 00:48:20.159
 join in with services

00:48:20.159 --> 00:48:20.739
 online,

00:48:21.239 --> 00:48:22.019
 but that should be

00:48:22.019 --> 00:48:22.940
 a secondary issue.

00:48:23.059 --> 00:48:23.619
 It should be for those

00:48:23.619 --> 00:48:24.839
 who can't be together

00:48:24.839 --> 00:48:26.440
 and it's a great facility

00:48:26.440 --> 00:48:26.880
 to have

00:48:26.880 --> 00:48:27.799
 and I keep saying this,

00:48:28.019 --> 00:48:29.019
 it's a wonderful facility

00:48:29.019 --> 00:48:29.699
 to have

00:48:29.699 --> 00:48:30.579
 and I hear more

00:48:30.579 --> 00:48:31.239
 and more of people

00:48:31.239 --> 00:48:32.019
 in different parts

00:48:32.019 --> 00:48:32.539
 of the world

00:48:32.539 --> 00:48:33.659
 who actually come

00:48:33.659 --> 00:48:34.859
 to join in

00:48:34.859 --> 00:48:35.500
 with the services

00:48:35.500 --> 00:48:36.980
 here of this congregation

00:48:36.980 --> 00:48:37.759
 who are maybe

00:48:37.760 --> 00:48:38.520
 not able to go

00:48:38.520 --> 00:48:39.060
 to a service

00:48:39.060 --> 00:48:40.080
 elsewhere themselves

00:48:40.080 --> 00:48:41.180
 or even our own

00:48:41.180 --> 00:48:41.840
 local people

00:48:41.840 --> 00:48:42.400
 who can't

00:48:42.400 --> 00:48:43.080
 because of illness

00:48:43.080 --> 00:48:43.580
 or whatever

00:48:43.580 --> 00:48:44.580
 cannot actually

00:48:44.580 --> 00:48:46.000
 physically be there

00:48:46.000 --> 00:48:48.020
 but when we can

00:48:48.020 --> 00:48:49.600
 then we should.

00:48:50.480 --> 00:48:51.080
 When we can,

00:48:51.200 --> 00:48:52.200
 here's one of the benefits

00:48:52.200 --> 00:48:53.220
 that we are able

00:48:53.220 --> 00:48:54.620
 to join together

00:48:54.620 --> 00:48:56.220
 in the praise of God,

00:48:56.560 --> 00:48:57.500
 that our voices

00:48:57.500 --> 00:48:58.300
 come to be

00:48:58.300 --> 00:48:59.620
 joined together

00:48:59.620 --> 00:49:00.300
 as we share

00:49:00.300 --> 00:49:01.220
 the experiences

00:49:01.219 --> 00:49:03.839
 of this life.

00:49:06.019 --> 00:49:06.619
 Singing

00:49:06.619 --> 00:49:08.699
 with thankfulness

00:49:08.699 --> 00:49:09.359
 in your heart

00:49:09.359 --> 00:49:10.879
 to God.

00:49:12.179 --> 00:49:13.279
 So our singing together

00:49:13.279 --> 00:49:15.219
 is commanded by God.

00:49:15.839 --> 00:49:17.000
 Our singing together

00:49:17.000 --> 00:49:19.279
 expresses important realities,

00:49:19.919 --> 00:49:21.159
 God's character and work,

00:49:21.719 --> 00:49:22.739
 our own experiences.

00:49:23.299 --> 00:49:24.079
 Thirdly, finally,

00:49:24.619 --> 00:49:25.659
 our singing together

00:49:25.659 --> 00:49:28.359
 contributes to our encouragement.

00:49:28.360 --> 00:49:31.260
 It's obvious

00:49:31.260 --> 00:49:33.960
 that we are able

00:49:33.960 --> 00:49:35.860
 to encourage one another

00:49:35.860 --> 00:49:37.440
 as we meet physically

00:49:37.440 --> 00:49:38.800
 rather than at other times.

00:49:39.220 --> 00:49:40.420
 Yes, you can encourage

00:49:40.420 --> 00:49:40.960
 many people

00:49:40.960 --> 00:49:41.840
 with a phone call,

00:49:42.280 --> 00:49:42.820
 with a WhatsApp

00:49:42.820 --> 00:49:43.519
 or whatever,

00:49:44.320 --> 00:49:45.180
 but it doesn't actually

00:49:45.180 --> 00:49:47.160
 replace the physical connection

00:49:47.160 --> 00:49:49.079
 as we share together

00:49:49.079 --> 00:49:50.380
 to encourage one another

00:49:50.380 --> 00:49:52.059
 in relation to the things

00:49:52.059 --> 00:49:52.500
 of life.

00:49:52.579 --> 00:49:53.400
 So as we reflect

00:49:53.400 --> 00:49:55.160
 on the goodness of God,

00:49:55.320 --> 00:49:56.260
 the gifts of God,

00:49:56.480 --> 00:49:57.519
 the mercy of God,

00:49:57.519 --> 00:49:58.940
 the salvation of God,

00:49:59.139 --> 00:49:59.960
 again you go back

00:49:59.960 --> 00:50:00.659
 to the Psalms

00:50:00.659 --> 00:50:01.699
 and this is what you find

00:50:01.699 --> 00:50:02.300
 frequently,

00:50:02.659 --> 00:50:04.000
 that as they shared together

00:50:04.000 --> 00:50:05.599
 in the experiences of life

00:50:05.599 --> 00:50:06.820
 and their knowledge of God,

00:50:07.199 --> 00:50:08.519
 so they were encouraged

00:50:09.199 --> 00:50:10.579
 and encouraged one another

00:50:10.579 --> 00:50:12.059
 as they actually traveled

00:50:12.059 --> 00:50:13.079
 together on the issues,

00:50:13.380 --> 00:50:14.579
 through the issues of life.

00:50:15.360 --> 00:50:16.139
 Psalm 103,

00:50:17.699 --> 00:50:18.980
 what does the psalmist do?

00:50:19.980 --> 00:50:20.739
 He's doing something

00:50:20.739 --> 00:50:21.300
 which some people

00:50:21.300 --> 00:50:22.280
 might think is a sign

00:50:22.280 --> 00:50:23.780
 of beginning to lose yourself.

00:50:23.880 --> 00:50:24.820
 He's talking to himself.

00:50:24.820 --> 00:50:28.440
 O thou my soul,

00:50:29.320 --> 00:50:30.720
 bless God the Lord.

00:50:30.780 --> 00:50:32.160
 He's talking into his soul.

00:50:32.600 --> 00:50:33.500
 He's speaking to his soul.

00:50:33.600 --> 00:50:34.460
 He's speaking to himself

00:50:34.460 --> 00:50:35.400
 and he's saying,

00:50:35.820 --> 00:50:36.539
 bless the Lord.

00:50:36.780 --> 00:50:37.640
 Praise the Lord.

00:50:38.200 --> 00:50:38.900
 And then he goes on

00:50:38.900 --> 00:50:39.880
 to express why

00:50:39.880 --> 00:50:41.360
 he's praising God.

00:50:42.240 --> 00:50:44.000
 Don't be forgetful

00:50:44.000 --> 00:50:46.420
 of all his gracious benefits

00:50:46.420 --> 00:50:48.340
 that he has bestowed upon you.

00:50:48.440 --> 00:50:51.019
 Who forgives all your sins.

00:50:51.140 --> 00:50:51.700
 Who heals you

00:50:51.700 --> 00:50:52.760
 from all your diseases.

00:50:52.760 --> 00:50:53.760
 By that he means,

00:50:53.880 --> 00:50:54.080
 of course,

00:50:54.120 --> 00:50:55.140
 ultimately spiritually.

00:50:56.720 --> 00:50:58.080
 And so the psalm goes on.

00:50:58.980 --> 00:50:59.820
 But as the psalmist

00:50:59.820 --> 00:51:01.100
 speaking into his soul,

00:51:01.620 --> 00:51:03.200
 so that out from his soul

00:51:03.200 --> 00:51:05.360
 will come the praises of God.

00:51:06.800 --> 00:51:08.520
 And as we reflect on

00:51:08.520 --> 00:51:11.520
 all of what God has done

00:51:11.520 --> 00:51:12.560
 and is doing for us,

00:51:13.280 --> 00:51:14.620
 as together we're sharing

00:51:14.620 --> 00:51:16.440
 in our knowledge of God

00:51:16.440 --> 00:51:17.420
 and the experiences

00:51:17.420 --> 00:51:18.560
 in his providence

00:51:18.560 --> 00:51:19.820
 that we come to share in.

00:51:19.820 --> 00:51:21.980
 Well, he's saying here,

00:51:22.100 --> 00:51:24.280
 sing from your hearts

00:51:24.280 --> 00:51:25.820
 with thankfulness

00:51:25.820 --> 00:51:26.660
 in your hearts

00:51:26.660 --> 00:51:28.180
 to God.

00:51:29.840 --> 00:51:31.059
 Our singing is not

00:51:31.059 --> 00:51:33.840
 just a formalized

00:51:33.840 --> 00:51:34.980
 following of

00:51:34.980 --> 00:51:37.500
 a certain score of music.

00:51:39.260 --> 00:51:40.420
 Nothing wrong with that

00:51:40.420 --> 00:51:41.460
 in itself at all.

00:51:42.580 --> 00:51:43.180
 But you see,

00:51:43.260 --> 00:51:43.940
 he's reminding us

00:51:43.940 --> 00:51:45.280
 that our singing

00:51:45.280 --> 00:51:46.160
 begins here

00:51:46.160 --> 00:51:46.800
 in the heart

00:51:46.800 --> 00:51:47.580
 and our soul.

00:51:48.780 --> 00:51:49.840
 That the soul

00:51:49.840 --> 00:51:50.680
 is the source

00:51:50.680 --> 00:51:52.460
 of our sound praise

00:51:52.460 --> 00:51:53.140
 to God.

00:51:53.720 --> 00:51:54.740
 That as each of us

00:51:54.740 --> 00:51:55.800
 looks into our soul

00:51:55.800 --> 00:51:56.800
 and finds reasons

00:51:56.800 --> 00:51:58.240
 to praise the Lord,

00:51:58.340 --> 00:51:59.039
 whether in sadness

00:51:59.039 --> 00:52:00.080
 or in gladness,

00:52:00.480 --> 00:52:01.640
 God is still the same.

00:52:02.039 --> 00:52:02.700
 And as we find

00:52:02.700 --> 00:52:03.320
 these reasons

00:52:03.320 --> 00:52:04.000
 and as we find

00:52:04.000 --> 00:52:04.800
 these experiences

00:52:04.800 --> 00:52:05.980
 and as we see

00:52:05.980 --> 00:52:06.800
 in the Bible

00:52:06.800 --> 00:52:07.760
 all that's true

00:52:07.760 --> 00:52:08.800
 about God himself

00:52:08.800 --> 00:52:10.280
 and what he means to us,

00:52:12.180 --> 00:52:12.680
 well, you see,

00:52:12.740 --> 00:52:13.720
 our heart is moved.

00:52:13.719 --> 00:52:16.219
 Our soul is stirred

00:52:16.219 --> 00:52:18.980
 and out from our soul

00:52:18.980 --> 00:52:20.039
 comes praise

00:52:20.039 --> 00:52:22.579
 in the worship of God

00:52:22.579 --> 00:52:23.699
 together,

00:52:24.239 --> 00:52:24.819
 collectively.

00:52:26.000 --> 00:52:27.039
 So we draw

00:52:27.039 --> 00:52:28.419
 from our experiences.

00:52:29.639 --> 00:52:30.539
 And as we draw

00:52:30.539 --> 00:52:31.639
 from our experiences,

00:52:31.939 --> 00:52:33.379
 we channel that

00:52:33.379 --> 00:52:34.759
 into our praise.

00:52:36.359 --> 00:52:37.099
 And something else

00:52:37.099 --> 00:52:38.259
 that just in passing

00:52:38.259 --> 00:52:39.019
 is important,

00:52:39.500 --> 00:52:40.399
 but it is important,

00:52:40.400 --> 00:52:42.559
 that means we think

00:52:42.559 --> 00:52:44.660
 about the words

00:52:44.660 --> 00:52:46.139
 of what we sing.

00:52:47.480 --> 00:52:48.360
 That we don't just,

00:52:48.940 --> 00:52:49.559
 and because we're

00:52:49.559 --> 00:52:50.660
 so used to the Psalms,

00:52:50.820 --> 00:52:51.539
 it is a danger

00:52:51.539 --> 00:52:52.260
 for us always,

00:52:52.340 --> 00:52:52.639
 of course,

00:52:52.840 --> 00:52:54.079
 that we get so used

00:52:54.079 --> 00:52:54.480
 to things

00:52:54.480 --> 00:52:55.420
 that we fail to

00:52:55.420 --> 00:52:56.519
 then just think

00:52:56.519 --> 00:52:57.700
 properly and deeply

00:52:57.700 --> 00:52:58.400
 about them.

00:52:59.440 --> 00:53:00.400
 But we should always

00:53:00.400 --> 00:53:02.880
 begin saying

00:53:02.880 --> 00:53:03.360
 to ourselves,

00:53:03.440 --> 00:53:04.059
 before we ever

00:53:04.059 --> 00:53:05.460
 come to start

00:53:05.460 --> 00:53:06.059
 the singing

00:53:06.059 --> 00:53:07.460
 as the Psalm

00:53:07.460 --> 00:53:09.019
 is set before us,

00:53:09.019 --> 00:53:10.759
 sometimes we read

00:53:10.759 --> 00:53:11.619
 the verses all together,

00:53:11.739 --> 00:53:12.500
 sometimes not.

00:53:13.179 --> 00:53:14.039
 But in any case,

00:53:14.340 --> 00:53:15.699
 as we're singing it,

00:53:16.119 --> 00:53:16.960
 our prayer should be,

00:53:17.119 --> 00:53:17.179
 Lord,

00:53:17.480 --> 00:53:18.639
 help me to think

00:53:18.639 --> 00:53:19.699
 about what I'm singing.

00:53:20.739 --> 00:53:21.900
 Help me to think

00:53:21.900 --> 00:53:22.940
 so that my heart

00:53:22.940 --> 00:53:24.199
 will truly be stirred,

00:53:25.239 --> 00:53:26.599
 so that I will have

00:53:26.599 --> 00:53:28.079
 from my soul

00:53:28.079 --> 00:53:29.860
 meaningfully

00:53:29.860 --> 00:53:31.059
 the praise

00:53:31.059 --> 00:53:32.259
 that has thought

00:53:32.259 --> 00:53:33.639
 about these great words

00:53:33.639 --> 00:53:34.920
 that you have given me

00:53:34.920 --> 00:53:35.440
 to sing,

00:53:36.559 --> 00:53:37.280
 so that they are

00:53:37.280 --> 00:53:38.340
 meaningful to me,

00:53:39.019 --> 00:53:39.599
 so that they

00:53:39.599 --> 00:53:40.599
 increasingly come

00:53:40.599 --> 00:53:41.820
 to be important

00:53:41.820 --> 00:53:42.360
 to me

00:53:42.360 --> 00:53:43.599
 in singing

00:53:43.599 --> 00:53:45.019
 your praises.

00:53:46.599 --> 00:53:47.000
 And so,

00:53:47.119 --> 00:53:47.699
 we can finish

00:53:47.699 --> 00:53:48.759
 with

00:53:48.759 --> 00:53:50.500
 Psalm 59,

00:53:50.940 --> 00:53:51.619
 not to sing it,

00:53:51.639 --> 00:53:52.259
 but just to quote

00:53:52.259 --> 00:53:53.000
 from it just now.

00:53:54.400 --> 00:53:55.199
 And the context,

00:53:55.360 --> 00:53:55.619
 of course,

00:53:55.659 --> 00:53:56.199
 is important.

00:53:56.380 --> 00:53:58.059
 It's a context

00:53:58.059 --> 00:54:00.139
 of severe difficulty

00:54:00.139 --> 00:54:00.960
 for the psalmist.

00:54:02.280 --> 00:54:03.239
 But then he goes on

00:54:03.239 --> 00:54:03.739
 to say in

00:54:03.739 --> 00:54:05.579
 verses 16 and 17

00:54:05.579 --> 00:54:06.679
 in the book of Psalms,

00:54:06.679 --> 00:54:07.679
 verse 16.

00:54:07.679 --> 00:54:09.559
 But I will sing

00:54:09.559 --> 00:54:11.059
 of your strength.

00:54:11.659 --> 00:54:13.059
 I will sing aloud

00:54:13.059 --> 00:54:14.319
 of your steadfast love

00:54:14.319 --> 00:54:14.899
 in the morning,

00:54:15.940 --> 00:54:16.759
 for you have been

00:54:16.759 --> 00:54:17.639
 to me a fortress

00:54:17.639 --> 00:54:18.619
 and a refuge

00:54:18.619 --> 00:54:19.819
 in the day

00:54:19.819 --> 00:54:20.819
 of my distress.

00:54:21.919 --> 00:54:22.919
 O my strength,

00:54:23.179 --> 00:54:24.399
 I will sing

00:54:24.399 --> 00:54:25.519
 praises to you,

00:54:26.099 --> 00:54:26.699
 for you,

00:54:26.919 --> 00:54:27.359
 O God,

00:54:27.419 --> 00:54:28.460
 are my fortress,

00:54:29.339 --> 00:54:29.899
 the God

00:54:29.899 --> 00:54:30.980
 who shows me

00:54:30.980 --> 00:54:34.000
 steadfast love.

00:54:34.000 --> 00:54:35.579
 sing.

00:54:36.760 --> 00:54:37.980
 Sing praise.

00:54:38.840 --> 00:54:39.579
 Sing together.

00:54:40.840 --> 00:54:42.059
 Sing to God's glory.

00:54:43.099 --> 00:54:43.920
 Sing in reflection

00:54:43.920 --> 00:54:45.179
 of what God has done,

00:54:45.599 --> 00:54:46.739
 of who God is.

00:54:47.500 --> 00:54:48.800
 Sing out your experiences.

00:54:49.679 --> 00:54:51.380
 Sing together

00:54:51.380 --> 00:54:53.380
 the praises

00:54:53.380 --> 00:54:54.800
 of God.

00:54:55.340 --> 00:54:56.119
 Let us pray.

00:54:56.119 --> 00:54:59.920
 Lord, we give thanks

00:54:59.920 --> 00:55:01.839
 as we sing

00:55:01.839 --> 00:55:02.519
 your praises,

00:55:03.460 --> 00:55:04.139
 that we sing

00:55:04.139 --> 00:55:04.900
 words that are

00:55:04.900 --> 00:55:06.000
 meaningful to us,

00:55:07.039 --> 00:55:07.960
 words that fit in

00:55:07.960 --> 00:55:09.000
 with our experiences,

00:55:10.119 --> 00:55:10.880
 words that convey

00:55:10.880 --> 00:55:11.519
 to us

00:55:11.519 --> 00:55:12.719
 something of

00:55:12.719 --> 00:55:13.539
 your own greatness,

00:55:14.400 --> 00:55:15.019
 your might,

00:55:15.119 --> 00:55:15.699
 your power,

00:55:16.779 --> 00:55:17.940
 words that we use,

00:55:18.039 --> 00:55:18.299
 O Lord,

00:55:18.359 --> 00:55:19.019
 to express

00:55:19.019 --> 00:55:19.759
 our thanks

00:55:19.759 --> 00:55:21.319
 and our dependence

00:55:21.319 --> 00:55:22.019
 upon you.

00:55:22.940 --> 00:55:23.500
 We thank you

00:55:23.500 --> 00:55:24.219
 that we can sing

00:55:24.219 --> 00:55:25.299
 our joys to you,

00:55:25.300 --> 00:55:26.740
 that we can sing

00:55:26.740 --> 00:55:27.840
 our sorrows to you.

00:55:28.740 --> 00:55:29.280
 We thank you

00:55:29.280 --> 00:55:29.960
 for the privilege,

00:55:30.160 --> 00:55:30.300
 Lord,

00:55:30.380 --> 00:55:31.560
 of singing together,

00:55:32.360 --> 00:55:33.460
 of praising the Lord

00:55:33.460 --> 00:55:34.420
 as a congregation,

00:55:35.060 --> 00:55:35.960
 and we pray

00:55:35.960 --> 00:55:36.740
 that that may be

00:55:36.740 --> 00:55:38.539
 reflected more and more

00:55:38.539 --> 00:55:39.640
 as time goes by.

00:55:40.600 --> 00:55:41.400
 We receive our thanks

00:55:41.400 --> 00:55:42.039
 be with us

00:55:42.039 --> 00:55:43.160
 throughout the remainder

00:55:43.160 --> 00:55:43.760
 of the day

00:55:43.760 --> 00:55:44.880
 and pardon our sin

00:55:44.880 --> 00:55:46.360
 for Jesus' sake.

00:55:46.480 --> 00:55:46.760
 Amen.

00:55:49.500 --> 00:55:50.500
 Well, we're going to sing

00:55:50.500 --> 00:55:51.360
 again to God's praise

00:55:51.360 --> 00:55:51.940
 in conclusion

00:55:51.940 --> 00:55:53.220
 from Psalm 67.

00:55:53.219 --> 00:55:55.339
 Psalm 67

00:55:55.339 --> 00:55:56.659
 on page 84.

00:56:02.179 --> 00:56:02.980
 And we're singing

00:56:02.980 --> 00:56:03.519
 to the tune,

00:56:03.859 --> 00:56:04.339
 Sussex,

00:56:04.480 --> 00:56:05.279
 Psalm 67.

00:56:06.079 --> 00:56:06.980
 God, be merciful

00:56:06.980 --> 00:56:07.819
 and bless us,

00:56:07.899 --> 00:56:08.619
 shine upon us

00:56:08.619 --> 00:56:09.359
 with your face,

00:56:09.879 --> 00:56:10.719
 that the earth

00:56:10.719 --> 00:56:11.739
 may know your actions

00:56:11.739 --> 00:56:12.599
 and all lands

00:56:12.599 --> 00:56:13.579
 your saving grace.

00:56:14.379 --> 00:56:14.879
 O God,

00:56:14.959 --> 00:56:15.699
 may the peoples

00:56:15.699 --> 00:56:16.319
 praise you,

00:56:16.739 --> 00:56:17.579
 may all peoples

00:56:17.579 --> 00:56:18.599
 sing your praise,

00:56:19.099 --> 00:56:19.759
 for you judge

00:56:19.759 --> 00:56:20.919
 the nations justly,

00:56:21.000 --> 00:56:21.599
 ruling over

00:56:21.599 --> 00:56:22.719
 every race.

00:56:23.079 --> 00:56:23.679
 May they sing

00:56:23.679 --> 00:56:24.920
 with joy and gladness,

00:56:25.279 --> 00:56:26.199
 may they all rejoice

00:56:26.199 --> 00:56:26.799
 as one.

00:56:27.380 --> 00:56:27.819
 O God,

00:56:27.880 --> 00:56:28.639
 may the peoples

00:56:28.639 --> 00:56:29.299
 praise you

00:56:29.299 --> 00:56:30.819
 as they all unite

00:56:30.819 --> 00:56:31.460
 in song.

00:56:32.199 --> 00:56:32.880
 Then the land

00:56:32.880 --> 00:56:34.039
 will yield its harvest,

00:56:34.679 --> 00:56:35.519
 God will pour

00:56:35.519 --> 00:56:36.619
 his gifts abroad.

00:56:37.420 --> 00:56:37.839
 God,

00:56:37.960 --> 00:56:38.639
 our God,

00:56:38.679 --> 00:56:40.079
 will surely bless us,

00:56:40.719 --> 00:56:41.500
 all the earth

00:56:41.500 --> 00:56:42.239
 will fear

00:56:42.239 --> 00:56:43.699
 our God.

00:56:43.699 --> 00:56:44.480
 These verses,

00:56:44.719 --> 00:56:44.980
 God,

00:56:45.259 --> 00:56:45.779
 be merciful

00:56:45.780 --> 00:56:46.960
 and bless us.

00:56:52.380 --> 00:56:53.420
 God,

00:56:53.480 --> 00:56:55.680
 be merciful

00:56:55.680 --> 00:56:58.880
 and bless us,

00:56:59.120 --> 00:57:02.720
 shine upon us

00:57:02.720 --> 00:57:05.840
 with your face,

00:57:05.840 --> 00:57:08.840
 that the earth

00:57:08.840 --> 00:57:13.000
 may know your actions

00:57:13.000 --> 00:57:16.000
 and the lands

00:57:16.000 --> 00:57:20.559
 your saving grace.

00:57:20.559 --> 00:57:23.300
 O God,

00:57:23.440 --> 00:57:26.219
 may the peoples

00:57:26.219 --> 00:57:28.400
 praise you,

00:57:28.760 --> 00:57:31.880
 may all blem

00:57:31.880 --> 00:57:35.500
 us sing your praise,

00:57:35.960 --> 00:57:38.679
 for you judge

00:57:38.679 --> 00:57:42.820
 the nations justly,

00:57:42.820 --> 00:57:45.900
 ruling over

00:57:45.900 --> 00:57:50.340
 every race.

00:57:50.340 --> 00:57:54.500
 May they sing

00:57:54.500 --> 00:57:58.280
 with joy and gladness,

00:57:58.519 --> 00:58:02.300
 may they all rejoice

00:58:02.300 --> 00:58:05.000
 as one.

00:58:05.440 --> 00:58:07.400
 O God,

00:58:07.500 --> 00:58:09.900
 may the peoples

00:58:09.900 --> 00:58:11.900
 praise you,

00:58:11.900 --> 00:58:12.900
 may the peoples

00:58:12.900 --> 00:58:13.900
 praise you,

00:58:13.900 --> 00:58:14.900
 may they all unite

00:58:14.900 --> 00:58:16.900
 in song.

00:58:16.900 --> 00:58:17.300
 May they all unite

00:58:17.300 --> 00:58:18.900
 in song.

00:58:20.720 --> 00:58:23.900
 Then the land

00:58:23.900 --> 00:58:26.900
 will yield its harvest,

00:58:27.900 --> 00:58:30.900
 God will pour

00:58:30.900 --> 00:58:32.900
 his gifts abroad.

00:58:32.900 --> 00:58:34.900
 God,

00:58:34.900 --> 00:58:36.900
 our God,

00:58:36.900 --> 00:58:38.900
 will surely

00:58:38.900 --> 00:58:41.900
 bless us,

00:58:41.900 --> 00:58:44.900
 all the earth

00:58:44.900 --> 00:58:46.900
 will fear

00:58:46.900 --> 00:58:48.900
 our God.

00:58:50.900 --> 00:58:51.980
 I'll go to the main door again

00:58:51.980 --> 00:58:52.800
 after the benediction.

00:58:52.800 --> 00:58:55.620
 Now may the grace

00:58:55.620 --> 00:58:56.920
 of the Lord Jesus Christ,

00:58:57.060 --> 00:58:58.300
 the love of God the Father,

00:58:58.740 --> 00:58:59.340
 and the communion

00:58:59.340 --> 00:59:00.320
 of the Holy Spirit

00:59:00.320 --> 00:59:01.280
 be with you now

00:59:01.280 --> 00:59:02.039
 and always.

00:59:02.500 --> 00:59:02.900
 Amen.

00:59:02.900 --> 00:59:03.060
 Amen.

00:59:03.800 --> 00:59:03.900
 Amen.

00:59:03.900 --> 00:59:04.900
 Amen.

00:59:04.900 --> 00:59:05.900
 Amen.

00:59:05.900 --> 00:59:06.900
 Amen.

00:59:06.900 --> 00:59:07.900
 Amen.

00:59:07.900 --> 00:59:08.900
 Amen.

00:59:08.900 --> 00:59:09.900
 Amen.

00:59:09.900 --> 00:59:10.900
 Amen.

00:59:10.900 --> 00:59:11.900
 Amen.

00:59:11.900 --> 00:59:12.900
 Amen.

00:59:12.900 --> 00:59:13.900
 Amen.

00:59:13.900 --> 00:59:14.900
 Amen.

00:59:14.900 --> 00:59:15.900
 Amen.

00:59:15.900 --> 00:59:16.900
 Amen.

00:59:16.900 --> 00:59:17.900
 Amen.

00:59:17.900 --> 00:59:18.900
 Amen.

00:59:18.900 --> 00:59:19.900
 Amen.

00:59:19.900 --> 00:59:20.900
 Amen.

00:59:20.900 --> 00:59:21.900
 Amen.

00:59:21.900 --> 00:59:22.000
 Amen.

00:59:22.000 --> 00:59:22.100
 Amen.

00:59:22.100 --> 00:59:22.200
 Amen.

00:59:22.199 --> 00:59:23.199
 Amen.

00:59:23.199 --> 00:59:24.199
 Amen.

00:59:24.199 --> 00:59:25.199
 Amen.

00:59:25.199 --> 00:59:26.199
 Amen.

00:59:26.199 --> 00:59:27.199
 Amen.

00:59:27.199 --> 00:59:28.199
 Amen.