WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.719 And Judah and Israel lived in safety, even from Dan even to Beersheba, 00:00:07.719 --> 00:00:12.759 every man under his vine and under his fig tree all the days of Solomon. 00:00:13.460 --> 00:00:20.859 Even the remotest outposts of Israel were safe during the duration of his reign. 00:00:21.580 --> 00:00:28.420 And with his reign, he brought joy to the righteous, because he built the temple of God, 00:00:28.420 --> 00:00:33.679 the place where the righteous could come and worship God in all the earth. 00:00:34.679 --> 00:00:43.120 And you can, after a fashion, talk about Solomon as a force of nature, as rain that waters the earth. 00:00:43.900 --> 00:00:50.280 You know, David used that same language for himself in his final words in 2 Samuel 23. 00:00:50.420 --> 00:00:56.719 He describes himself like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning, 00:00:56.719 --> 00:01:02.159 like rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth. 00:01:02.879 --> 00:01:09.039 That may seem a little dramatic, but when you're in a fully-fledged monarchy, 00:01:09.120 --> 00:01:12.539 not just a constitutional monarchy like what we have in the UK, 00:01:12.920 --> 00:01:16.939 you recognize this, that the fish rots from the head down. 00:01:16.939 --> 00:01:21.379 Everything is affected by who the king is. 00:01:21.500 --> 00:01:22.459 It affects everyone. 00:01:23.319 --> 00:01:27.140 And if you have a bad king, bad things happen. 00:01:27.780 --> 00:01:31.039 And you need a good leader to have a good kingdom. 00:01:31.599 --> 00:01:36.879 And King Solomon brought Israel a great number of blessings. 00:01:37.979 --> 00:01:39.319 But there's a problem. 00:01:39.900 --> 00:01:42.159 And it's a fairly obvious problem. 00:01:42.159 --> 00:01:43.700 Solomon died. 00:01:44.640 --> 00:01:49.359 And the night he died, the moon still shone. 00:01:50.359 --> 00:01:54.039 This psalm was not fulfilled by him, not completely. 00:01:54.340 --> 00:01:55.479 He brought peace. 00:01:56.340 --> 00:01:58.599 But that peace was temporary. 00:01:59.199 --> 00:02:04.420 Upon his death, the entire nation was ripped apart in a civil war. 00:02:04.939 --> 00:02:09.379 And so many of his descendants died on the battlefield. 00:02:09.379 --> 00:02:15.079 You can see from Solomon's life that he was not the promised Messiah. 00:02:15.560 --> 00:02:19.979 He is not the one promised in the Davidic covenant when God came to him and said, 00:02:20.419 --> 00:02:23.280 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, 00:02:23.659 --> 00:02:26.159 I will rise up your offspring after you, 00:02:26.460 --> 00:02:29.780 who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 00:02:30.460 --> 00:02:34.579 And your house and his kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. 00:02:34.859 --> 00:02:37.620 Your throne shall be established forever. 00:02:37.620 --> 00:02:46.200 God in the Davidic covenant is promising to David that there is a descendant who will reign forever. 00:02:46.580 --> 00:02:48.159 Not for 40 years. 00:02:48.580 --> 00:02:50.480 Not even for 70 years. 00:02:50.659 --> 00:02:51.599 Like Queen Elizabeth. 00:02:52.219 --> 00:02:56.780 But quite literally, till the moon is no more. 00:02:56.960 --> 00:02:58.920 Till eternity itself. 00:02:58.919 --> 00:03:10.719 Now, I think it's quite possible that David at some point thought that Solomon had a chance to be the Messiah. 00:03:11.119 --> 00:03:15.239 That he had a chance to be the one who was promised in the Davidic covenant. 00:03:15.339 --> 00:03:16.259 I think that's possible. 00:03:16.979 --> 00:03:20.199 I think that might be why he decided to name him Peace. 00:03:20.459 --> 00:03:24.259 And he used all this messianic imagery in this psalm. 00:03:24.259 --> 00:03:27.199 But that turned out not to be the case. 00:03:28.419 --> 00:03:31.060 Someone else needed to come. 00:03:31.539 --> 00:03:34.519 And that someone else was Jesus Christ. 00:03:35.459 --> 00:03:43.879 This psalm is praying for the coming of Christ because with him comes a truly endless reign. 00:03:44.159 --> 00:03:45.419 Christ died once. 00:03:45.419 --> 00:03:50.299 And then he rose again from the dead, never to die again. 00:03:51.259 --> 00:03:55.939 Death had a grip on him and then it spat him out again. 00:03:57.119 --> 00:04:02.359 And when it spat him out, he would never again fall under death. 00:04:02.619 --> 00:04:06.419 It is not possible for Christ to die anymore. 00:04:06.419 --> 00:04:08.319 Not after his resurrection. 00:04:08.839 --> 00:04:09.979 Not after his ascension. 00:04:10.339 --> 00:04:18.579 Where he is raised on high and crowned above all and given the name above all other names as the messianic king. 00:04:19.399 --> 00:04:20.779 He tasted death. 00:04:21.199 --> 00:04:24.099 And he shall never taste death again. 00:04:24.759 --> 00:04:29.419 He shall always endure as long as the moon does. 00:04:29.420 --> 00:04:38.439 And it is with his reign that we are supposed to think about Jesus Christ as rain watering the earth. 00:04:39.280 --> 00:04:40.819 Christ is who nourishes us. 00:04:41.319 --> 00:04:43.000 It is Christ who keeps us safe. 00:04:43.220 --> 00:04:46.800 Who builds us up in righteousness and justice. 00:04:47.360 --> 00:04:53.120 And it is Christ who with his eternal reign that we latch on to in the means of grace. 00:04:53.879 --> 00:04:56.319 We seek him in worship. 00:04:56.319 --> 00:05:01.699 That's who we are seeking here today as we gather together in worship. 00:05:02.579 --> 00:05:06.680 It is with his reign that we as the people of God know peace. 00:05:07.339 --> 00:05:09.319 Because Christ, he is true peace. 00:05:09.639 --> 00:05:11.040 He is shalom. 00:05:11.719 --> 00:05:14.240 Which brings peace with God the Father. 00:05:14.620 --> 00:05:19.219 He wipes our sins away and makes us children of God. 00:05:19.740 --> 00:05:25.500 He is the one who brings us the most intimate peace imaginable with God. 00:05:26.319 --> 00:05:28.920 He is the one who endures forever. 00:05:30.560 --> 00:05:35.040 And Christian, as we are thinking about Christ's eternal reign, I want you to think about this. 00:05:35.620 --> 00:05:42.459 Christ's eternal reign should give you absolute certainty that his kingdom will never be destroyed. 00:05:44.039 --> 00:05:51.539 You know, in Madame Tussauds' wax museum, they supposedly had a chair owned by the philosopher Voltaire. 00:05:51.540 --> 00:05:54.819 You know, he's one of the greatest French philosophers. 00:05:55.040 --> 00:05:57.000 And Voltaire, he's incredibly famous. 00:05:57.080 --> 00:05:59.620 He was instrumental in the French Revolution. 00:06:00.260 --> 00:06:02.720 He had a great hatred for Christianity. 00:06:03.260 --> 00:06:06.240 And one day there was a tour going through the wax museum. 00:06:07.020 --> 00:06:11.020 And a minister heard that that chair over there was Voltaire's chair. 00:06:11.019 --> 00:06:17.759 And so the minister leaped over into the exhibit, immediately sat down in the chair and declared, 00:06:18.259 --> 00:06:23.620 Jesus shall reign wherever the sun doth his successive journeys run. 00:06:24.620 --> 00:06:26.139 Now, that's a little dramatic. 00:06:26.639 --> 00:06:27.719 And I'll admit that freely. 00:06:28.399 --> 00:06:29.259 But it's true. 00:06:29.939 --> 00:06:31.719 Because where is Voltaire? 00:06:32.240 --> 00:06:33.180 He's dead. 00:06:33.740 --> 00:06:35.060 And where is Christ? 00:06:35.719 --> 00:06:36.759 He's alive. 00:06:37.060 --> 00:06:40.000 At the right hand of God the Father. 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:42.959 His reign endures for all time. 00:06:44.079 --> 00:06:45.740 And so you should trust in your Savior. 00:06:46.680 --> 00:06:52.680 Whoever lives to rule and defend you as your once and always king. 00:06:53.740 --> 00:06:58.420 You shall never sit underneath a different king than Jesus Christ. 00:06:59.279 --> 00:07:02.819 Because his reign is truly endless. 00:07:02.819 --> 00:07:10.899 Now, I want us to move on to verses 8 to 14 and see an endless dominion. 00:07:11.459 --> 00:07:13.980 These verses are describing a great dominion. 00:07:14.300 --> 00:07:18.139 And once again, in some way, they apply to Solomon. 00:07:19.800 --> 00:07:22.399 Think about what Solomon ruled. 00:07:23.240 --> 00:07:27.480 He ruled everything from the Euphrates down to the border of Egypt. 00:07:27.740 --> 00:07:30.360 It was the high watermark of the kingdom of Israel. 00:07:30.360 --> 00:07:35.100 And when the Bible describes those boundaries, your ears are supposed to perk up. 00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:40.020 Because that is a fulfillment of Exodus 23. 00:07:40.720 --> 00:07:48.800 After hundreds of years, Israel is finally taking control of all the land that God has promised it. 00:07:48.879 --> 00:07:51.300 All the territory that has been promised by God. 00:07:51.300 --> 00:07:56.780 With Solomon, there is this massive expansion of the power in Israel. 00:07:57.079 --> 00:07:59.439 So that it starts to take on international fame. 00:07:59.939 --> 00:08:02.620 Kings from all over the globe start asking, 00:08:02.860 --> 00:08:06.560 Who is this in Jerusalem who has all this wisdom? 00:08:07.540 --> 00:08:13.019 And so famously, the Queen of Sheba comes all the way there to see Solomon. 00:08:13.280 --> 00:08:16.300 She's mentioned twice in this psalm. 00:08:16.300 --> 00:08:19.980 In verses 10 and 15, which say, 00:08:20.199 --> 00:08:24.180 Rulers from Sheba will bring gifts and give gold. 00:08:24.980 --> 00:08:27.639 And that's exactly what we read about in 1 Kings 10. 00:08:28.300 --> 00:08:31.020 The Queen of Sheba meets Solomon. 00:08:31.540 --> 00:08:33.360 She sees all of his power. 00:08:33.899 --> 00:08:35.519 She hears about all of his wisdom. 00:08:35.639 --> 00:08:36.860 And then she declares this. 00:08:36.960 --> 00:08:37.480 She declares, 00:08:37.480 --> 00:08:43.779 Blessed be the Lord, your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel. 00:08:43.940 --> 00:08:46.139 Because the Lord loves Israel forever. 00:08:46.560 --> 00:08:51.740 He has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness. 00:08:52.659 --> 00:08:55.879 And then she gives him 120 talents of gold. 00:08:56.960 --> 00:08:58.379 Look back at Psalm 72. 00:08:59.940 --> 00:09:05.620 Justice and righteousness are really the main themes of this psalm. 00:09:05.620 --> 00:09:07.580 They're mentioned in the very first lines. 00:09:08.060 --> 00:09:11.299 The Queen is coming before Solomon and essentially saying, 00:09:11.820 --> 00:09:15.820 This psalm is fulfilled in some way by you. 00:09:16.179 --> 00:09:19.379 You are the ruler who gives justice and righteousness. 00:09:20.039 --> 00:09:23.980 Here are, here's 120 talents of gold. 00:09:24.759 --> 00:09:28.399 This is a fulfillment of this passage, a fulfillment of this psalm. 00:09:28.399 --> 00:09:32.299 But as much as we see the dominion of Solomon, 00:09:32.559 --> 00:09:36.600 We see a much greater dominion in Jesus Christ. 00:09:37.699 --> 00:09:41.720 Revelation 11 describes the kingdom of heaven in this way. 00:09:42.079 --> 00:09:48.100 The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ. 00:09:48.480 --> 00:09:50.519 And he shall reign forever and ever. 00:09:51.459 --> 00:09:53.199 You know, imagine the kingdom of the world. 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:58.300 In all of its splendor, in all of its glory, in all of its vastness. 00:09:59.379 --> 00:10:00.920 That is what is Christ's. 00:10:01.940 --> 00:10:05.080 Christ is given dominion over all the world. 00:10:05.160 --> 00:10:06.780 And on the final day, what will happen? 00:10:07.160 --> 00:10:11.180 Everyone shall come before Christ and bend the knee. 00:10:11.940 --> 00:10:16.580 Tribute will be offered to him and they will acknowledge that he is Lord of all. 00:10:16.580 --> 00:10:26.379 We're going to see a day when this psalm is very visibly and publicly fulfilled for all to see. 00:10:27.060 --> 00:10:33.379 There is not a person, alive or dead, who will not acknowledge the dominion of Christ. 00:10:34.220 --> 00:10:36.639 And in some measure, we witness that today. 00:10:37.700 --> 00:10:41.640 You can look up the statistics about the outreach of Christianity. 00:10:41.639 --> 00:10:46.840 There's roughly 1.5 billion people who do not have the Bible in their own language. 00:10:47.480 --> 00:10:51.759 And there are about 3 billion people who are still considered unreached. 00:10:52.299 --> 00:10:54.460 And those are large numbers. 00:10:55.019 --> 00:10:58.879 But those are numbers that are decreasing every day. 00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:02.299 God's word is going forth. 00:11:03.559 --> 00:11:09.460 And what we see in missions is in some way the expansion of Christ's dominion. 00:11:09.460 --> 00:11:11.420 We see people converted. 00:11:12.280 --> 00:11:14.900 Brought in from every tribe and tongue and nation. 00:11:15.480 --> 00:11:18.040 And they are brought in to kneel before Christ. 00:11:18.860 --> 00:11:25.860 And we even now, we get to see Christ ruling spiritually before he rules physically on the final day. 00:11:26.920 --> 00:11:28.700 I want to give you just one more thought. 00:11:28.759 --> 00:11:31.139 A thought that I think is very helpful. 00:11:31.620 --> 00:11:35.740 When we look around us and we see the world seemingly out of control. 00:11:35.740 --> 00:11:42.860 Do you realize the massive impact that Christianity has had on this world? 00:11:43.519 --> 00:11:47.899 It is an absolutely massive, staggering influence. 00:11:48.480 --> 00:11:50.019 Think just for a moment about our culture. 00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:55.620 A large portion of our culture is obsessed with the idea of victimhood. 00:11:56.360 --> 00:12:01.700 There's the idea that if you become more of a victim, you actually have more power. 00:12:01.700 --> 00:12:06.520 And so you actually try to identify as many marginalized groups as possible. 00:12:07.340 --> 00:12:08.480 Now I want you to think for a moment. 00:12:09.040 --> 00:12:11.700 Where does an idea like that come from? 00:12:12.440 --> 00:12:16.400 Because it hasn't actually occurred anywhere else in human history. 00:12:17.340 --> 00:12:19.879 I don't want you to misunderstand me when I say this. 00:12:20.800 --> 00:12:26.160 But that idea can only arise in a Christian world where the cross is pointed to. 00:12:26.159 --> 00:12:32.000 And where Christ becomes weak and therefore becomes strong. 00:12:32.679 --> 00:12:34.379 You know, I'm not saying the culture is right. 00:12:34.620 --> 00:12:36.899 I think the culture is very, very wrong. 00:12:37.860 --> 00:12:42.259 But what I am saying is that even those who point to the church and say, 00:12:42.659 --> 00:12:45.319 you have mistreated me, you have made me a victim. 00:12:45.959 --> 00:12:51.899 Even they are using ground that only makes sense because of what we believe. 00:12:52.480 --> 00:12:54.740 Because of what Christ has done. 00:12:54.740 --> 00:12:57.680 Even in their rebellion, they cannot escape him. 00:12:58.000 --> 00:13:01.279 And they are forced to fight him on his own terms. 00:13:01.940 --> 00:13:03.759 That doesn't make what they do good. 00:13:04.480 --> 00:13:08.899 But it is an expression of Christ's dominion. 00:13:09.600 --> 00:13:14.580 And it's one of the great ironies of rebellion in our day that they can't get away from him. 00:13:14.740 --> 00:13:16.980 No matter how much they try. 00:13:18.060 --> 00:13:23.180 And Christian, on the final day, we're going to see that Christ doesn't just outlast his enemies. 00:13:23.179 --> 00:13:25.699 But that Christ has conquered them. 00:13:26.559 --> 00:13:29.919 There isn't a hint of helplessness in this psalm. 00:13:30.039 --> 00:13:32.179 Because it sees that the end is coming. 00:13:32.620 --> 00:13:37.839 This dominion of Christ will be shown to be from sea to sea. 00:13:38.039 --> 00:13:41.159 Every portion of the earth will submit to him. 00:13:41.159 --> 00:13:49.519 And so, you should not fear because your king is in control of all things by his sovereign will. 00:13:49.759 --> 00:13:51.000 And he shall come. 00:13:52.059 --> 00:13:54.919 And until that day, we cry out, Lord, come quickly. 00:13:55.579 --> 00:13:57.980 But we cry out that prayer with certainty. 00:13:58.419 --> 00:13:59.980 With absolute confidence. 00:14:00.419 --> 00:14:04.919 That all will be seen in submission to Christ. 00:14:04.919 --> 00:14:09.959 And now I want us briefly to take a look at these final verses. 00:14:10.459 --> 00:14:12.360 In verses 15 to 17. 00:14:12.599 --> 00:14:17.159 Here we see the endless blessings that come with the Messianic King. 00:14:19.079 --> 00:14:21.059 Let's just very briefly go through them. 00:14:21.819 --> 00:14:24.199 The Messianic King, he has a long life. 00:14:25.199 --> 00:14:26.339 Gold is given to him. 00:14:26.959 --> 00:14:29.000 Prayers are made continually for him. 00:14:29.319 --> 00:14:32.339 With him comes abundance of grain in the fields. 00:14:32.340 --> 00:14:33.940 And prosperity in the cities. 00:14:34.500 --> 00:14:36.680 His name and fame endure forever. 00:14:37.139 --> 00:14:38.879 And why is he called blessed? 00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:40.860 At the end of verse 17. 00:14:41.720 --> 00:14:46.060 Because in him, all the people are blessed. 00:14:46.980 --> 00:14:52.480 It is in him that the blessings of God spread throughout all the earth. 00:14:53.460 --> 00:14:56.920 This is in some way shown in Solomon. 00:14:57.000 --> 00:14:57.960 Just a foretaste. 00:14:57.960 --> 00:15:04.379 But if you have a keen ear, when you read 1 Kings 1 to 11. 00:15:04.519 --> 00:15:05.420 You understand this. 00:15:05.480 --> 00:15:11.480 There is a very deep irony that runs through a description of Solomon's reign. 00:15:11.940 --> 00:15:16.300 Because we understand, when we read those chapters, what's going to happen. 00:15:16.960 --> 00:15:20.060 We understand that Solomon is going to fall. 00:15:20.460 --> 00:15:26.480 We see that Solomon broke all the rules that a king of Israel was supposed to follow. 00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:29.580 There's a set of rules that are actually in Deuteronomy 17. 00:15:29.800 --> 00:15:30.740 It's just a few verses. 00:15:31.019 --> 00:15:33.879 And he breaks every single one of those. 00:15:34.659 --> 00:15:37.620 He isn't supposed to have an alliance with Egypt. 00:15:37.759 --> 00:15:38.899 Or have many horses. 00:15:39.460 --> 00:15:41.600 He isn't supposed to have many wives. 00:15:41.659 --> 00:15:44.779 And he isn't supposed to have excessive silver and gold. 00:15:45.659 --> 00:15:48.840 And what does Solomon do in 1 Kings? 00:15:49.320 --> 00:15:50.879 He's grabbing power. 00:15:51.220 --> 00:15:54.379 And it's that which leads to his downfall. 00:15:54.379 --> 00:16:02.539 We see in Solomon a biblical example of what happens when blessings become curses. 00:16:03.320 --> 00:16:10.080 These blessings of money and power actually lead to the spiritual destruction of Israel. 00:16:10.240 --> 00:16:11.659 It's spiritual deformation. 00:16:12.019 --> 00:16:14.100 It leads to idolatry in the land. 00:16:14.759 --> 00:16:18.879 And ironically, what happens at the end of Solomon's reign after he dies? 00:16:18.879 --> 00:16:24.559 All the people rise up and they cry out, we are tired of these heavy taxes. 00:16:25.100 --> 00:16:28.720 We are tired of working so much. 00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:34.159 And those are ironically the exact same problems they had in Egypt. 00:16:34.939 --> 00:16:37.399 On one level, they have all these blessings. 00:16:38.519 --> 00:16:41.179 And on another level, they're still in slavery. 00:16:41.179 --> 00:16:43.139 Look at verse 17. 00:16:43.939 --> 00:16:45.599 And just think about Solomon. 00:16:45.979 --> 00:16:51.699 Despite all his fame and prosperity, the people were not truly blessed in him. 00:16:52.239 --> 00:16:55.739 And the Bible itself does not call him blessed. 00:16:56.539 --> 00:16:59.719 Not in the sense of this psalm. 00:16:59.720 --> 00:17:09.720 Only Christ is the one who can bring blessings that are true and lasting and truly and completely for your good. 00:17:09.980 --> 00:17:12.779 And not have those blessings be turned into curses. 00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:20.700 Christ's dominion is not like an ordinary empire that so often begins to oppress their own people. 00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:26.480 When Christ's dominion goes forth, blessings go forth with it. 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:28.819 It is in Christ that we have blessings. 00:17:28.819 --> 00:17:31.539 He is the one who lives forever. 00:17:31.980 --> 00:17:36.819 He is the one who is continually praised by his people and is called blessed. 00:17:37.419 --> 00:17:45.240 He is the one who allows the blossoming of all people like the grass of the field in verse 16. 00:17:46.159 --> 00:17:52.139 And he is the one whose name shall endure forever and ever, blessing everyone around him. 00:17:53.139 --> 00:17:58.639 What is being described here is the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant. 00:17:58.819 --> 00:18:01.639 When God comes to Abraham and he says, 00:18:01.980 --> 00:18:05.579 Through you all the offspring of the world will be blessed. 00:18:06.379 --> 00:18:10.139 And it is in Christ that God blesses us. 00:18:10.539 --> 00:18:11.980 It is in Christ himself. 00:18:12.799 --> 00:18:14.659 It is Christ himself who blesses us. 00:18:14.660 --> 00:18:18.779 We are blessed as Christ's people in him and in him alone. 00:18:19.400 --> 00:18:24.400 Without Christ, nothing is truly and fully a blessing. 00:18:25.100 --> 00:18:31.759 The greatest pleasure and joy simply becomes idolatry and it quickly loses its luster. 00:18:31.759 --> 00:18:41.299 But when we meet with Jesus and we commune with him, we find that our restless hearts finally have their rest in him. 00:18:42.319 --> 00:18:46.500 And that is why we pay such close attention to the means of grace. 00:18:46.500 --> 00:18:49.039 That is why we partake of the sacraments. 00:18:49.680 --> 00:18:54.039 It is because in them we partake of Christ and his benefits. 00:18:54.880 --> 00:19:02.140 It is in the means of grace, the sacraments, the preaching, the singing, and the praying of the word as the people of God, 00:19:02.319 --> 00:19:08.200 that we commune with Christ and that we enjoy him and all his blessings. 00:19:08.200 --> 00:19:12.900 Look at these verses here. 00:19:13.299 --> 00:19:16.220 This final stanza of verse 17. 00:19:16.600 --> 00:19:18.400 May his name endure forever. 00:19:18.799 --> 00:19:20.779 May he continue as long as the sun. 00:19:21.120 --> 00:19:24.860 Then all nations will be blessed through him and they will call him blessed. 00:19:26.279 --> 00:19:33.600 David did not fully understand just such a wonderful fulfillment of this psalm we have in Jesus Christ. 00:19:33.599 --> 00:19:39.619 Where we are able to feast on Christ's own flesh and blood in the Lord's Supper. 00:19:40.119 --> 00:19:44.500 Where we would be taught by him when we open up the scriptures and simply read them. 00:19:44.500 --> 00:19:53.019 Where we would commune with him by prayer, both by having our prayers answered and being changed as we pray to him by the Spirit. 00:19:55.099 --> 00:19:58.199 And a day is coming when we shall dwell with him forever. 00:19:58.200 --> 00:20:05.380 And we shall finally have a glimpse of him in the new heavens and the new earth. 00:20:06.039 --> 00:20:07.799 And our faith shall be sight. 00:20:07.880 --> 00:20:14.420 And we shall see the light of his glory as we sing his praises and enjoy everlasting peace. 00:20:14.900 --> 00:20:17.860 That is what true blessedness looks like. 00:20:18.340 --> 00:20:22.039 That is what a true messianic king looks like. 00:20:22.440 --> 00:20:26.519 And that is what Solomon could not possibly hope to be. 00:20:26.519 --> 00:20:34.400 And brothers and sisters, as we're closing, I want us just to very briefly look at these closing verses. 00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:35.599 These final two verses. 00:20:36.259 --> 00:20:37.980 Verses 18 and 19. 00:20:38.779 --> 00:20:41.420 These two verses, they're a doxology. 00:20:42.500 --> 00:20:46.240 They are a doxology that seems to switch the subject. 00:20:46.460 --> 00:20:48.619 But from king to God. 00:20:50.039 --> 00:20:51.980 Praise be to the Lord God. 00:20:52.079 --> 00:20:55.059 The God of Israel who alone does marvelous deeds. 00:20:55.059 --> 00:20:57.480 Praise be to his glorious name forever. 00:20:57.859 --> 00:21:00.460 May the whole earth be filled with his glory. 00:21:00.779 --> 00:21:02.559 Amen and amen. 00:21:03.759 --> 00:21:13.339 And Christian, one of the most wonderful things that we should see in this psalm is that the subject hasn't changed from verse 17 to 18. 00:21:14.460 --> 00:21:20.019 This psalm is crying out that all nations, that may all nations call him blessed. 00:21:20.299 --> 00:21:21.079 And what happens? 00:21:21.299 --> 00:21:23.119 It immediately praises Christ. 00:21:23.119 --> 00:21:23.259 Christ. 00:21:23.979 --> 00:21:25.579 Christ is our great king. 00:21:26.339 --> 00:21:30.339 He has an endless reign, an endless dominion, an endless blessings. 00:21:30.699 --> 00:21:32.199 And what is it all connected to? 00:21:32.479 --> 00:21:35.299 That he is God in the flesh. 00:21:36.279 --> 00:21:39.759 And it is in him that we are called blessed. 00:21:40.379 --> 00:21:45.279 And it is in him that he blesses us all the day long. 00:21:45.279 --> 00:21:53.680 We get to see God come to earth and bless us in the person and work of Jesus Christ. 00:21:54.359 --> 00:21:58.460 That is the great fulfillment that we need to see today. 00:21:58.660 --> 00:22:05.720 It is a fulfillment that should warm our hearts and focus us even when all the earth seems to give way. 00:22:05.720 --> 00:22:10.279 Because our king and our God is everlasting. 00:22:10.940 --> 00:22:17.519 And he shall reign from sea to sea as long as the moon endures. 00:22:18.180 --> 00:22:18.620 Amen. 00:22:18.819 --> 00:22:19.400 Let us pray. 00:22:19.400 --> 00:22:22.620 Most gracious and loving heavenly Father. 00:22:23.180 --> 00:22:25.220 Lord, we are thankful for Jesus Christ.