Please open your Bibles for Psalm 103.
!
And the power to me and the country.
So tonight, are you sick?
Well, bless the Lord who heals you.
Are you a sinner?
Bless the Lord who heals you.
Are you on the edge of death?
Well, bless the Lord who heals you.
Are you deserving tonight's condemnation?
Well, bless the Lord who gives us mercy that we don't deserve.
And so tonight we come to the final section,
which ends with a rousing climax,
as all of creation is called upon to praise the Lord.
So if you look at verses 1 to 4, there are four bless.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me.
Bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
Then you go to the end of the psalm,
and you have four blesses again.
Verse 20,
Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
your mighty ones who do his word,
obeying the voice of his word.
Bless the Lord, all his hosts,
his ministers who do his will.
Bless the Lord, all his works,
in all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
Four headings.
We see in verses 15 and 16,
the transitory life of man.
If you want to posher word, ephemeral.
Transitory life of man,
the ephemeral life of man.
Verse 17 and 18,
you see the eternal love of God.
And then in verse 19, thirdly,
we come to the throne of God.
And then in verses 20 to 22,
we see the universal worship of Yahweh.
The transitory, the ephemeral life of man.
Verse 15 and 16,
As for man, his days are like grass.
He flourishes like a flower of the field,
for the wind passes over it and it's gone.
And its place knows it no more.
Ephemeral means transient.
It means fleeting.
Just lasting for a short time.
It's like vapour.
You boil the kettle.
And when the kettle is boiling,
there's steam, isn't it,
that comes out the kettle.
And it's there for just a moment.
You can just see it for a very, very short time.
It's vapour that fades away so quickly.
And the life of men and women and boys and girls
is compared here to the grass,
the grass,
the flower of the field.
I think I misunderstood this phrase a little bit.
And when it says that man flourishes like a flower of the field,
I thought it was kind of acknowledging
that beauty can come in the flourishing of the life of man.
And that is true in one sense.
But as we read it carefully,
it goes something more like this.
As for man,
his days are like the grass,
like a flower of the field he flourishes.
That is,
the emphasis is not so much on the beauty
as compared to a flower of the field,
but to the brevity,
the shortness of life.
And of course,
that's reinforced, isn't it,
in the next verse,
where it tells us that we're just a puff of wind.
A puff of wind is all it takes,
and it's blown away,
and it's forgotten forever.
Truly, our lives are short.
We are weak.
It doesn't take much to extinguish us.
Let me ask you to put your hand up
if you know the name of your grandfather.
Put your hand up if you know the name of your grandfather.
Put your hands down.
Put your hand up if you know the name of your great-grandfather.
Okay.
Put your hand up if you know the name of your great-great-grandfather.
Okay.
One more.
Put your hand up if you know the name of your great-great-great-grandfather.
look at that, that's incredible
credit to the Craddocks
slightly ruins my point
the truth is this isn't it
most people will not know
who we are in 100 years
and the most famous of us
that people won't know
we're like a brass
we're like the grass
tomorrow is the 10 year
anniversary of the death
of little baby Leila Gibson
to Johnny and Jackie, do you remember that?
little Leila
was stillborn
she knew life
but she
when she was born
she had died
just transient
just a little bit of life
we can think well that's an extreme
example, most people live much much longer than that
that's true but it doesn't change things very much
does it?
Gregory of Nazianzus
the great early church theologian wrote this
our life on earth brothers is such that our existence is very transitory
we play as it were a game on earth
we do not exist
and we're born
and being born we are dissolved
we are like a fleeting dream
an apparition without substance
the flight of a bird that passes
a ship that leaves no trace
Psalm 90
Moses wrote that Psalm
and he says in verse 10 of Psalm 90
the years of our life are 70
even by reason of strength
80
yet their span is but to toil and trouble
they soon go
and we fly away
even if we live to what
we might refer to as a
full life
it's still very short isn't it?
it's very quick
it's very frail
and in that Psalm
Moses goes on
to ask the Lord
teach us to number our days
that we may gain a heart of wisdom
can you recognize tonight
just how very brief
and how frail life is
and the need for wisdom
in the light of that
and so I think we need to apply it in this way
that the shortness of human life
ought to drive us
according to Psalm 103
to deep humility
when we consider how
frail we are
that ought to impress upon us
the need for humility
before God
before the one who is the creator
and the sustainer
who are we
to stand up to him?
who are we
to make demands of him?
who are we
to rebel against him?
we're nothing
we're like the grass of the field
it's there one day
and it's gone the next
we're just a puff of wind
if he wanted to
he could sniff us out
who are we to stand up to God?
and we must acknowledge tonight
our entire dependence upon him
maybe you don't want to do that
to take that posture
of submission
and humility
before him
that is the frailty
the ephemeral life of man
but secondly
verses 17 and 18
point us to the eternal love of God
let me read these verses to you
they are remarkable verses
aren't they?
but the steadfast love of the Lord
the covenant love of God
is from everlasting
to everlasting
on those who fear him
and his righteousness
to children's children
to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments
one of the greatest words
found in the Bible
is the word
but
it's found
so prominently
isn't it
in Romans and Ephesians
where our sin
is depicted
and we read
there
that God is
he is
but God is rich
in mercy
but God
made us alive
in Christ
or but now
the righteousness
apart from the law
has been revealed
and here is
a wonderful word
again
that appears
to help us
but
God
but the steadfast
love of the Lord
is from everlasting
so can you see the contrast
verse
15 and 16
we are
frail
we are
feeble
it takes just a puff of wind
to extinguish us
but you see
if there was no but
we would be in great danger
who knows what could happen to us
we're so frail
aren't we
we're so transient
but God is not that way
God is not weak
like us
he is not frail
and feeble
we may be weak
but he is
strong
our lives
fade out quickly
but he endures forever
and in particular
verse 17
tells us
that it is his love
his steadfast
covenant love
that endures
from everlasting
to everlasting
how is it
that his love
endures
from everlasting
to everlasting
well it's because
he himself
is from everlasting
to everlasting
Psalm 90
verse 2
tells us that
and this is
one of those places
in the Bible
where we ought to pause
and we ought to say
praise the Lord
he is not like us
praise the Lord
that he is not like us
he is not like us
you see
we don't need a God
like us
and we should not want
a God like us
no
we ought to try
to be like him
but we should never
want him to be like us
instead we praise
the Lord
that he's not like us
if he was like us
it would be
no good to us
he would not be able
to save us
he himself
would not endure forever
he would not be
our sovereign ruler
he would not be God
but he's not like us
his steadfast love
is everlasting
I've told you
about this before
but Gehardus Vos
the great theologian
from Westminster
Samarie
kind of mid 20th century
no
from Princeton
kind of early 20th century
he was asking
the question
how do you know
that God will never
stop loving you
how do you know
that God
will never
stop loving you
because he never
began loving you
he never began
loving you
Jeremiah 31
verse 3
he has loved you
with an everlasting
love
Psalm 103
verse 17
the steadfast
love of the Lord
is from everlasting
to everlasting
the hymn
loved with
everlasting love
led by grace
that love to know
but there's also
something fearful
in verse
18
isn't it
there's something
that could cause you
alarm tonight
in verses 17
and 18
the steadfast love
of the Lord
is from everlasting
to everlasting
on those who fear him
and his righteousness
as the children's children
to those who keep
his covenant
and remember
to do his commandments
and that may be
a terrifying thought
to you
because you recognise
you've not feared him
as you ought
and you've not kept
his covenant
and you've certainly
not remembered
to do his commandments
but let me reassure you
for a moment
because there is one
isn't there
there is one
who feared the Lord
all his days
and there is one
who kept the covenant
and there is one
who always remembered
to do his commandments
!
because we know
don't we
that the Lord Jesus Christ
has done those things
for us
and he has done it
fully
and perfectly
and we know
tonight
that the steadfast
love of God
therefore comes to us
as it goes
through Jesus Christ
and as we lay hold
of Jesus Christ
as we trust
Jesus Christ
that love comes to us
and so there can be
no changing
in God's love
for us
God's love
for you tonight
for those of you
who are trusting
in Christ
is fixed
it is unshakable
and nothing
can separate you
from the love of God
in Christ Jesus
not even your own sin
you think of God's love
for someone like Peter
Peter with all his
failing
with all his
fumbling
with all his
denials
for the way that
the apostle Peter
was forever
putting his foot
in his mouth
always saying
the wrong thing
at the wrong time
and it came to the point
didn't it
where he denies
his saviour
three times
and he denies
his saviour
bitterly
with swearing
and with cursing
have you ever done that
have you ever sworn
to your friends
or to your neighbours
when they say
are you a Christian
you say
no I'm not a Christian
I'd never be a Christian
those
swearing
swear words
as Christians
have you done that
you've not
have you
some of you might have
I doubt it though
but even if you
have done that
God's love
would still be
upon you
through Jesus Christ
even when we are
faithless
he remains
faithful
because God's love
is not dependent
upon our keeping
his commandments
it comes because
Christ has kept
his commandments
in our place
and so there's two
basic kind of
applications from this
the first is
it calls you to
trust in Christ
it calls us to
trust in Christ
and we are to
trust in him
to be saved
from our sins
to enter into
salvation
maybe that's what
you need to do
tonight
but as Christians
we are saved
and we are to
trust in him
each and every
day
to wake up
remembering
knowing
that we are
forgiven
because of
Jesus Christ
to remember
I know
each day
that the
eternal
wrath of
God
was placed
upon him
so that the
eternal love
of God
could be
placed upon
us
what does it
mean to believe
in Christ
it really
means
in its
essence
to trust
trust
and when I
speak with
people that
are not
Christians
that are not
believers
I've kind of
started to
avoid words
like believe
and faith
I don't know
whether you've
talked to people
about believe
and faith
I find that
they're really
misused
and they're
often really
misunderstood
but the word
trust I think
is hard
to mistake
people understand
the word
trust
and to
enter into
Christ
to live the
Christian life
we have to
trust him
to trust
that he has
died
for our
sins
to trust
that he has
forgiven us
our sins
to trust
that we have
no hope
at all
apart from
him
and we
find that
when we
trust him
we do not
regret it
because he
gives us
all we
need
so this
calls this
steadfast love
for the
Lord
for us
to trust
him
but secondly
it calls
us to
receive
his love
you might
think that's
a bit strange
way of putting
it
but I think
it's important
that we
understand
that we
need to
receive
this love
we might
think it's
strange
because we
often want
to do
something
don't we
give me
something
to do
and so
God's
grace
is very
hard for
us
tell me
how I
can act
on this
but when
it comes
to the
good news
of
Christianity
when it
comes to
this
good news
of God's
steadfast
everlasting
love
the response
is not
to do
something
the response
is to
receive
something
trying to
work for
something
is often
easier
than being
given a
gift
think at
Christmas time
we often
give to
each other
gifts
but if
somebody
gives to
you a
gift
that you
weren't
expecting
how do
you feel
what do
you say
when someone
in church
gives you
a gift
and you
haven't got
them one
you get
in the
car
what do
you say
I'm gonna
have to
get one
back
we just
can't let
it be a
gift
can we
if I
haven't
given them
a gift
get back
then we're
not on
an even
level
well
actually at
that point
it's no
longer a
gift
it's just
an exchange
of goods
and we
usually feel
better about
ourselves
don't we
we think
we've
earned
something
if we
think
we've
worked
for it
or we've
given
something
back
and we
often
think
that we
have to
try to
earn
God's
favour
we tell
ourselves
I can't
receive his
grace
until I
feel like
I deserve
it
once I
do my
devotional
time
my quiet
time
then I
can feel
forgiven
but that
isn't
how it
works
God
does not
say do
X and
Y and
Z and
then you'll
feel like
I saved
you
do X
and Y
and Z
then you
can receive
my love
he says
no
simply
receive
God's
love and
his grace
they are
free gifts
through Jesus
Christ
he has
paid the
price
so there
is no
cost
to us
no cost
and so
when it
comes to
this
steadfast
love
which is
from
everlasting
to everlasting
!
let me
ask you
are you
trusting him
and have
you received
his love?
the third
section
comes in
verse 19
we've seen
the transient
life of
man
how quick
and how
fleeting
it is
and then
there's the
contrast
isn't there
to that
in the
everlasting
love of
God
but can
you see
thirdly
the heavenly
throne of
the Lord
verse 19
I wish I could
preach a sermon
on verse 19
the Lord
has established
his throne
in the heavens
and his
kingdom
rules over
all
his kingdom
rules over
all
that is
his kingdom
extends
through all
time
and as our
lives
come and
go
as they
pass by
so quickly
that is no
bearing on
the rule
of God
it continues
and it
endures
through all
of that
his throne
is to
all ages
David
as he
wrote this
was under
the rule
of God
in the same
way that
we are
today
there is
no change
he rules
over all
time
he rules
in every
place
there is
not a
single
island
there is
not a
single
speck
of the
globe
that you
cannot
go
that you
can
go to
that is
not
under
his
sovereign
rule
the
Psalms
tell us
that he
owns
the
cattle
on
a
thousand
hills
the
earth
is
the
Lord's
and the
fullness
of
he
is
the
great
king
who
watches
over
his
creation
some
have put
it this
way
speaking of
his
sovereignty
over
all
things
there is
not a
single
stray
molecule
in the
universe
no
molecule
escapes
his rule
or his
control
he rules
over
even the
smallest
details
nothing
is too
small
for him
to notice
or
to
govern
Jesus
says
he
provides
for the
birds
of
the
air
and the
flowers
of
the
field
even
as
short
as
their
lives
may
be
and so
we
know
tonight
he
will
also
govern
us
and he
will
also
care
for us
perhaps
we can
think of
it in
this
way
think about
the
sovereign
rule
of
God
and the
way
that it
was
connected
to the
death
of the
Lord
Jesus
the
tree
that
gave
the
wood
for the
cross
on which
Jesus
was nailed
was
created
by him
even
knowing
and
ordaining
how
that
tree
would
be
used
at
the
thorns
that
pierced
his
head
were
grown
by
him
through
his
provision
of
rain
and
sunshine
at
the
nails
that
pierced
Jesus
hands
and
feet
were
taken
from
the
natural
resources
that
God
had
placed
in
the
earth
when
he
spoke
it
into
existence
and
when
he
spoke
it
into
existence
he
knew
exactly
how
it
would
be
used
the
men
who
wounded
him
were
given
their
life
in
their
mother's
womb
through
the
power
of
the
almighty
God
the
tomb
in
which
Jesus
was
laid
was
carved
out
by
himself
here
is
the
point
you
must
not
think
that
your
circumstances
are
outside
of
God's
control
just
because
things
are
getting
difficult
everything
we
experience
every
part
of
our
lives
is
part
of
his
perfect
rule
and
reign
and
so
whatever
trouble
you
find
yourself
in
it
has
been
brought
about
through
millions
of
small
providences
of
God
that
are
coming
together
for
his
purpose
and
bringing
about
your
sanctification
being
made
like
Christ
and
just
as
every
detail
in
the
death
of
Jesus
had
been
orchestrated
by
God
down
to
the
smallest
bit
the
same
in
your
own
life
is
orchestrated
by
God
and
so
we
can
and
we
weigh
and
we
must
trust
in
his
providence
his
perfect
plan
that
if
God
is
willing
to do
those
things
for
his
son
whom
he
loves
well
surely
he
does
them
for
us
as
well
and
just
as it
was not
wicked
or evil
of
God
to do
that
to
Christ
so it
is not
wicked
or evil
of him
to do
to
us
and
we
may
trust
in
his
perfect
plan
the
transient
life
of man
the
eternal
love
of
God
the
heavenly
throne
of
God
and
then
finally
in
these
last
three
verses
we see
universal
worship
of
God
look at
verses
20
to
22
bless
the
Lord
are
you
his
angels
you
mighty
ones
who
do
his
word
obeying
the
voice
of
his
word
bless
the
Lord
all
his
hosts
his
ministers
who
do
his
will
bless
the
Lord
all
his
works
in
all
places
of
his
dominion
bless
the
Lord
my
soul
the
psalmist
invites
the
angels
the
armies
of
God
the
hosts
and
all
of
his
created
works
to
bless
him
the
word
ministers
in
verse
21
there
is
referring
to
angels
powerful
heavenly
beings
what is
a
minister
he's
an
angel
and
so
I
am
the
angel
of
IPC
along
with
Reuben
we
are
the
angels
and
Andrew
Cray
too
it
just
means
messenger
but
as
the
psalmist
calls
upon
all
of
cosmic
creation
to
worship
and
bless
the
Lord
the
focus
is
actually
on
himself
so
do you
remember
he begins
by saying
in
verse
1
bless
the
Lord
oh
my
soul
and
verse
2
bless
the
Lord
oh
my
soul
and
then
he
finishes
with
that
same
phrase
bless
the
Lord
oh
my
soul
but
actually
that
phrase
quite
literally
you
can't
pick
it up
in
the
English
but
when
you
compare
it
to
the
other
bless
the
Lord
and
there's
just
a
little
difference
let me
show
it
to
you
so
in
verses
20
to
22
four
times
there's
a
call
to
bless
the
Lord
can
you
see
it
in
the
first
three
it's
to
the
angels
and
then to
the
hosts
bless
to
call
ourselves
to
bless
him
yes
we're
to
call
others
that's
made
clear
here
as
well
but
our
primary
concern
should
be
to
make
sure
that
I
am
blessing
the
Lord
at
all
times
that
I
am
the
one
that
needs
to
consider
all
that
he's
done
and
we
see
that
in
the
first
part
of
the
psalm
he's
the
one
who
forgives
who
heals
who
resurrects
who
gives
us
good
things
we
see
in
the
second
portion
of
the
psalm
that
his
abundant
mercy
is
something
that
we've
not
deserved
that's
been
poured
out
upon
us
in
Jesus
Christ
and
now
we
see
his
eternal
power
love
and
rule
and
all
of
this
is
meant
to
say
to
us
bless
the
Lord
oh
my
soul
bless
the
Lord
there's
different
categories
aren't
there
look at
the
categories
that are
called
to bless
it's
his
angels
and
then
it's
his
hosts
the
mighty
ones
verse
21
the
hosts
and
then
it's
all
his
works
so
I've
thought
about
this
and
those
three
groups
actually
don't
need
to
be
told
to
bless
the
Lord
they
just
do
it
as
for
the
angels
in
Revelation
chapter
4
verse
8
they're
the
heavenly
creatures
they
do
not
see
day
and
night
saying
holy
is
the
Lord
and
what
do
the
angels
do
in
glory
they
spend
their
whole
life
blessing
the
Lord
each
day
every
day
every
moment
and
then
it
says
and
bless
the
Lord
all
his
works
but
you
think
about
creation
around
us
and
what
is
creation
telling
us
Psalm
19
the
heavens
declare
!
the
glory
of
God
these
already
doing
it
where
is
the
silent
voice
who
is
the
one
that
really
needs
to be
told
to
bless
the
Lord
where
is
the
void
amongst
those
who
are
blessing
the
Lord
who
ought
to
be
it's
us
isn't
it
we
are
the
ones
who
are
not
constantly
doing
what
we
ought
to
be
in
blessing
the
Lord
and
so
we
especially
need
to
be
reminded
to
bless
!
more
reason
than
the
hosts
and
the
works
and
the
angels
so
think
about
it
has
Jesus
Christ
saved
the
elect
angels
in
heaven
which
declare
the
glory
of
God
is
Jesus
Christ
the
angels
elder
brother
is
Jesus
Christ
their
shepherd
did
Jesus
Christ
obey
the
law
on
behalf
of
the
angels
did
Jesus
Christ
suffer
for
the
angels
is
he
their
prophet
priest
and
king
no
that's
only
for
us
isn't
it
and
so
we
rehearse
those
things
to
ourselves
and
we
teach
ourselves
instructing
our
own
souls
bless
the
Lord
oh
my
soul
and
all
that
is
within
me
bless
his
holy
name
we
began
the
psalm
three
weeks
ago
reflecting
on the
problem
of
forgetting
and the
need
to
remember
and that
is where
the
psalm
ends
as well
and it
may be
isn't it
that one of
the greatest
struggles
of the
Christian
life
is
forgetfulness
us
we
need
to
remember
let's
not be
those
who
forget
the
goodness
of
the
Lord
rather
let's
remind
ourselves
and
every
day
and
each
day
of
God's
greatness
in the
light
especially
of my
frailty
knowing
how
easily
we
can
be
snuffed
out
but
knowing
the
everlasting
love
of God
which is
upon
us
the
one
who is
our
fortress
and
our
strength
and
our
refuge
and
our
very
present
help
in
trouble
bless
the
Lord
oh my
soul
let's
pray