WEBVTT 00:00:00.060 --> 00:00:10.359 Heavenly Father, we are grateful as we remember how precious you are to us through times of fasting and praying. 00:00:11.400 --> 00:00:18.900 We remember that we live not by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from your mouth. 00:00:20.580 --> 00:00:28.500 We remember, Lord, that prayer is to a believer as breathing is to a human being. 00:00:28.500 --> 00:00:35.240 Lord, that it's natural to us to pray, to seek you, to talk to our Heavenly Father who saved us. 00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:38.439 So that is why we have gathered, Lord. 00:00:38.480 --> 00:00:41.640 It is the most natural thing for us to be here, to pray to you. 00:00:44.100 --> 00:00:50.719 Because we are people who have been redeemed by the blood of your Son, Jesus Christ, and empowered and enlivened by the Spirit of God. 00:00:50.820 --> 00:00:53.659 So we pray that you would lead us as we pray. 00:00:54.179 --> 00:00:56.700 We pray that you would speak to us as we open your word together. 00:00:56.700 --> 00:01:02.460 We pray that you would help us to encourage one another and build us up as a church during this time. 00:01:03.580 --> 00:01:05.680 In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. 00:01:07.420 --> 00:01:09.340 We're in Psalm 37. 00:01:09.340 --> 00:01:21.100 Psalm 37. 00:01:21.260 --> 00:01:29.659 It's a slightly longer psalm, but I will summarize appropriately so that I preach about the same length. 00:01:30.300 --> 00:01:31.240 It's a psalm of David. 00:01:32.140 --> 00:01:34.120 Psalm 37. I'll read it out loud first. 00:01:34.120 --> 00:02:04.100 Psalm 37. 00:02:04.120 --> 00:02:05.120 Psalm 37. 00:02:05.120 --> 00:02:06.120 Psalm 37. 00:02:06.120 --> 00:02:07.120 Psalm 37. 00:02:07.120 --> 00:02:10.379 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. 00:02:10.379 --> 00:02:16.799 Fret not yourself over the one who prospers in His way, over the man who carries out evil devices. 00:02:17.759 --> 00:02:19.979 Refrain from anger and forsake wrath. 00:02:20.199 --> 00:02:21.139 Fret not yourself. 00:02:21.240 --> 00:02:22.560 It tends only to evil. 00:02:23.219 --> 00:02:27.900 For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. 00:02:28.539 --> 00:02:31.500 In just a little while, the wicked will be no more. 00:02:31.979 --> 00:02:35.340 Though you look carefully at His place, He will not be there. 00:02:35.340 --> 00:02:40.900 But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace. 00:02:41.560 --> 00:02:45.360 The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at Him. 00:02:45.599 --> 00:02:49.400 But the Lord laughs at the wicked, for He sees that His day is coming. 00:02:49.400 --> 00:02:56.420 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright. 00:02:57.120 --> 00:03:01.219 Their swords shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. 00:03:01.860 --> 00:03:06.340 Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked. 00:03:06.340 --> 00:03:10.920 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. 00:03:11.620 --> 00:03:16.060 The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever. 00:03:16.699 --> 00:03:18.879 They are not put to shame in evil times. 00:03:19.000 --> 00:03:20.960 In the days of famine they have abundance. 00:03:21.640 --> 00:03:23.719 But the wicked will perish. 00:03:23.980 --> 00:03:27.280 The enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures. 00:03:27.759 --> 00:03:30.020 They vanish like smoke. 00:03:30.360 --> 00:03:31.199 They vanish away. 00:03:31.199 --> 00:03:34.780 The wicked borrows, but does not pay back. 00:03:34.839 --> 00:03:36.899 But the righteous is generous and gives. 00:03:37.339 --> 00:03:42.159 For those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land, but those cursed by Him shall be cut off. 00:03:43.179 --> 00:03:47.239 The steps of a man are established by the Lord when he delights in his way. 00:03:47.620 --> 00:03:50.280 Though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong. 00:03:50.459 --> 00:03:52.639 For the Lord upholds His hand. 00:03:52.639 --> 00:03:55.439 I have been young, and now I am old. 00:03:55.939 --> 00:04:00.280 Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, or His children begging for bread. 00:04:00.280 --> 00:04:05.439 He is ever lending graciously, generously, and His children become a blessing. 00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:08.659 Turn away from evil and do good. 00:04:08.759 --> 00:04:10.340 So shall you dwell forever. 00:04:10.759 --> 00:04:12.319 For the Lord loves justice. 00:04:12.439 --> 00:04:14.060 He will not forsake His saints. 00:04:14.439 --> 00:04:18.079 They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. 00:04:18.699 --> 00:04:22.279 The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever. 00:04:22.899 --> 00:04:26.819 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and His tongue speaks justice. 00:04:27.199 --> 00:04:29.259 The law of His God is in His heart. 00:04:29.259 --> 00:04:30.860 His steps do not slip. 00:04:31.500 --> 00:04:35.079 The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death. 00:04:36.060 --> 00:04:41.120 The Lord will not abandon him to his power or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial. 00:04:41.839 --> 00:04:46.519 Wait for the Lord and keep His way, and He will exalt you to inherit the land. 00:04:47.120 --> 00:04:49.439 You will look on when the wicked are cut off. 00:04:49.439 --> 00:04:54.620 I have seen a wicked, ruthless man spreading himself like a green laurel tree. 00:04:54.980 --> 00:04:58.420 But he passed away, and behold, he was no more. 00:04:58.779 --> 00:05:00.800 Though I sought him, he could not be found. 00:05:01.720 --> 00:05:04.540 Mark the blameless, and behold the upright. 00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:07.319 For there is a future for the man of peace. 00:05:07.860 --> 00:05:10.519 But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed. 00:05:10.659 --> 00:05:12.939 The future of the wicked shall be cut off. 00:05:13.459 --> 00:05:15.980 The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord. 00:05:15.980 --> 00:05:18.500 He is their stronghold in a time of trouble. 00:05:18.980 --> 00:05:20.879 The Lord helps them and delivers them. 00:05:21.160 --> 00:05:26.920 He delivers them from the wicked and saves them because they take refuge in Him. 00:05:29.819 --> 00:05:30.420 Amen. 00:05:30.640 --> 00:05:31.160 Amen. 00:05:32.759 --> 00:05:37.540 Some of the most pragmatically minded people ask questions like, you know, 00:05:37.620 --> 00:05:40.600 why should I live a moral life, right? 00:05:40.720 --> 00:05:41.040 Why? 00:05:41.040 --> 00:05:41.480 Why? 00:05:41.480 --> 00:05:44.520 What benefit is there to having righteousness? 00:05:45.660 --> 00:05:51.300 And because it seems if you look around the world, sometimes it's the people that are not 00:05:51.300 --> 00:05:56.340 scrupulous just, you know, trample on and run over people who are more scrupulous, right? 00:05:56.500 --> 00:06:00.740 People who are honest get cheated by people who are dishonest, right? 00:06:00.780 --> 00:06:04.980 People who are selfless get taken advantage of by people who are selfish, right? 00:06:05.240 --> 00:06:09.520 So when you see all of that, then you ask, like, what benefit is there to be righteous? 00:06:09.519 --> 00:06:12.099 What good is obeying God in this life, right? 00:06:12.799 --> 00:06:17.039 And Psalm 37 offers a very satisfying and practical answer to that question. 00:06:17.439 --> 00:06:24.759 And namely, it teaches us that we can delight in the Lord and depend on Him because His retribution 00:06:24.759 --> 00:06:27.459 and recompense will come in due time. 00:06:27.599 --> 00:06:29.959 So His retribution and recompense will come in due time. 00:06:30.560 --> 00:06:34.859 So we'll talk first about the retribution for the wicked, and then we'll talk about recompense 00:06:34.859 --> 00:06:38.000 for the righteous, and then talk about what it means to delight in the Lord and depend 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:38.359 on Him. 00:06:38.360 --> 00:06:41.800 So first, it talks about the retribution for the wicked. 00:06:41.960 --> 00:06:45.639 Verse 1, it begins, fret not yourself because of evildoers. 00:06:46.060 --> 00:06:48.520 Be not envious of wrongdoers, right? 00:06:48.560 --> 00:06:54.379 It's a natural temptation, I think if we're honest, we'll acknowledge to, you know, be envious 00:06:54.379 --> 00:07:00.780 of the success of evil people, especially if in pursuing righteousness we experience persecution 00:07:00.780 --> 00:07:01.439 and suffering. 00:07:01.439 --> 00:07:06.079 But David exhorts us not to fret, and he says the same thing again in verse 8. 00:07:06.180 --> 00:07:08.579 Refrain from anger and forsake wrath. 00:07:09.019 --> 00:07:10.000 Fret not yourself. 00:07:10.100 --> 00:07:11.420 It tends only to evil. 00:07:11.959 --> 00:07:16.680 The anger and wrath in view here is most likely anger and wrath directed toward God, right? 00:07:16.720 --> 00:07:21.560 Because it's a picture of a person who's suffering at the hands of the wicked while doing righteousness. 00:07:21.560 --> 00:07:25.839 So this is the attitude of the person that's saying this, who's angry at God. 00:07:25.899 --> 00:07:28.560 He's saying, God, all I do is try to be faithful to you. 00:07:28.899 --> 00:07:30.139 I've obeyed you all my life. 00:07:30.139 --> 00:07:35.399 And that person who's doing wickedness gets all those blessings, all those good things 00:07:35.399 --> 00:07:38.199 that I want, and this is what I get, right? 00:07:38.319 --> 00:07:39.819 That's the cry of the person, right? 00:07:39.839 --> 00:07:40.339 It's a refrain. 00:07:40.519 --> 00:07:46.240 But David reminds us, that's the classic attitude of someone who feels entitled to God's blessings, 00:07:46.379 --> 00:07:46.579 right? 00:07:46.819 --> 00:07:51.839 So when he doesn't get it, he gets fretful, discontent, angry. 00:07:53.079 --> 00:07:56.939 And to that person, David reminds him, fret not yourself. 00:07:57.099 --> 00:07:58.819 It tends only to evil. 00:07:58.819 --> 00:08:01.420 Fretting will exacerbate the discontent. 00:08:01.540 --> 00:08:03.579 It will disincline us to trust and obey God. 00:08:03.879 --> 00:08:05.540 It tends only to evil. 00:08:06.759 --> 00:08:12.560 And then David gives us the reason why we can not fret when we could seem to be doing 00:08:12.560 --> 00:08:12.839 well. 00:08:13.180 --> 00:08:18.740 It's because he says in verse 2, 4, they will soon fade like the grass and wither like 00:08:18.740 --> 00:08:19.519 the green herb. 00:08:20.279 --> 00:08:24.240 So David employs several metaphors in this psalm that's similar to this. 00:08:24.639 --> 00:08:28.719 He says another in verse 20, the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures. 00:08:28.720 --> 00:08:29.460 The greenery. 00:08:30.020 --> 00:08:30.720 They vanish. 00:08:30.960 --> 00:08:32.040 Like smoke, they vanish away. 00:08:32.139 --> 00:08:33.560 Again, in verse 35 and 36. 00:08:33.700 --> 00:08:37.279 I've seen a wicked, ruthless man spreading himself like a green laurel tree. 00:08:37.680 --> 00:08:40.060 But he passed away and behold, he was no more. 00:08:40.259 --> 00:08:42.080 Though I sought him, he could not be found. 00:08:42.560 --> 00:08:46.259 So in all of these cases, David compares the wicked to greenery. 00:08:46.399 --> 00:08:52.160 Basically shrubs or tree that's growing with shallow roots because it's not planted by a 00:08:52.160 --> 00:08:52.759 stream of water. 00:08:53.319 --> 00:08:57.179 And this metaphor is much harder for us to appreciate because for us, I mean, there's 00:08:57.179 --> 00:09:02.840 plenty of rain and plenty of water and there's green trees everywhere and it's rarely we see 00:09:02.840 --> 00:09:04.299 dying grass on the fields, right? 00:09:04.580 --> 00:09:10.319 But in this, in the ancient Near Eastern context, in David's climate where he is, right, you see 00:09:10.319 --> 00:09:11.840 dry shrubbery all the time. 00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:13.159 You see dead grass. 00:09:13.159 --> 00:09:18.839 You see dead plants all the time because it's not as, except for that short rainy season, 00:09:19.339 --> 00:09:20.919 most of the land is arid. 00:09:21.699 --> 00:09:25.480 And because of that, this is very helpful metaphor when you remember that context. 00:09:25.639 --> 00:09:30.000 It's that the wicked are like the grass that flourishes for a day but then vanishes. 00:09:30.519 --> 00:09:31.779 It's just gone the next day. 00:09:31.939 --> 00:09:32.339 It's faded away. 00:09:32.379 --> 00:09:37.319 The wicked, their success, their prosperity, their glory, their success are all fleeting is 00:09:37.319 --> 00:09:38.000 what David's saying. 00:09:38.000 --> 00:09:43.879 And though it seems that at times they prosper at the expense of the righteous, he says that 00:09:43.879 --> 00:09:46.860 their wrongdoing will turn back on them and bite them. 00:09:47.179 --> 00:09:49.100 He says that's the boomerang principle, right? 00:09:49.159 --> 00:09:49.720 Verse 14. 00:09:49.840 --> 00:09:54.059 He says, the wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy 00:09:54.059 --> 00:09:55.799 to slay those whose way is upright. 00:09:56.340 --> 00:09:59.960 But their sword shall enter their own heart and their bow shall be broken. 00:10:00.019 --> 00:10:02.240 This is the retribution of the Lord. 00:10:02.720 --> 00:10:06.820 It says, verse 13, the Lord laughs at the wicked for he sees that his day is coming. 00:10:06.820 --> 00:10:10.840 Because retribution for the wicked is surely coming, we can hope in the Lord. 00:10:10.980 --> 00:10:13.720 We can trust and delight in him and depend on him. 00:10:14.920 --> 00:10:17.640 But for the righteous, the converse is true, right? 00:10:17.720 --> 00:10:19.620 So the wicked, the retribution is coming. 00:10:19.920 --> 00:10:24.920 But for the righteous, recompense is coming, rewards for their perseverance, for their good 00:10:24.920 --> 00:10:25.240 deeds. 00:10:26.220 --> 00:10:28.320 And he describes this in verse 6. 00:10:28.720 --> 00:10:34.140 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your justice as the noon day, 00:10:34.320 --> 00:10:34.480 right? 00:10:34.480 --> 00:10:38.759 So if the wicked are like the grass that flourishes for a moment and then perishes permanently, 00:10:39.279 --> 00:10:44.840 the righteous are like the light that's perhaps for a moment clouded, you know, just blocked 00:10:44.840 --> 00:10:45.620 by the clouds. 00:10:45.759 --> 00:10:47.879 But inevitably, that light shines through. 00:10:48.180 --> 00:10:53.000 Or like the night, the light that is temporarily suspended because of the night. 00:10:53.259 --> 00:10:56.659 But like the noon day, like the dawn, it surely comes. 00:10:56.740 --> 00:11:01.200 So the righteousness and the reward, the recompense of the righteous will surely come. 00:11:01.259 --> 00:11:02.120 It will shine forth. 00:11:02.120 --> 00:11:03.120 That's what he's saying here. 00:11:03.919 --> 00:11:06.879 And in another metaphor in verse 24, he conveys a similar point. 00:11:06.980 --> 00:11:12.519 He says, though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong for the Lord upholds his hand. 00:11:12.960 --> 00:11:16.860 It's a very insightful verse because the righteous, like the rest of humanity, like the wicked, 00:11:16.980 --> 00:11:17.639 we will fall. 00:11:17.759 --> 00:11:18.440 We will stumble. 00:11:18.440 --> 00:11:20.940 But he says, we won't be cast headlong. 00:11:21.040 --> 00:11:25.660 We won't fall headfirst in a permanently irrecoverable way. 00:11:26.160 --> 00:11:32.320 You know, we will always be able to, even though we stumble, get back up and walk again on this life's path. 00:11:32.540 --> 00:11:34.060 That's what David's promising here. 00:11:34.059 --> 00:11:41.439 And then David comforts us with the truth of, once again, of this recompense of the righteous in verse 18. 00:11:41.619 --> 00:11:41.759 He says, 00:11:42.159 --> 00:11:45.179 The Lord knows the days of the blameless. 00:11:45.519 --> 00:11:48.119 And their heritage will remain forever. 00:11:48.120 --> 00:11:52.080 However, this is, the Lord knows our days. 00:11:52.159 --> 00:11:54.940 This means the Lord knows everything that happens in our days. 00:11:55.299 --> 00:11:59.019 The Lord knows what's going on and how we're doing in our days. 00:11:59.240 --> 00:12:02.259 He knows all the struggles that beset us in the day. 00:12:02.560 --> 00:12:05.759 He knows all the joys, the pleasures that regale us in the day. 00:12:06.120 --> 00:12:09.580 He knows, you know, all the loneliness and sadness of our days. 00:12:09.940 --> 00:12:12.759 The anxieties and fears, the depression of our days. 00:12:12.860 --> 00:12:12.960 Right? 00:12:12.960 --> 00:12:14.519 He knows our days. 00:12:14.600 --> 00:12:15.800 And that's such a comforting thought. 00:12:15.879 --> 00:12:18.740 He knows the days that we experience every day. 00:12:18.780 --> 00:12:19.639 He knows our days. 00:12:19.740 --> 00:12:20.780 He knows the days of the blameless. 00:12:21.820 --> 00:12:26.540 And so because of that, the recompense for the righteous and retribution for the wicked, we can hope in God. 00:12:26.960 --> 00:12:29.340 And what we do, the righteous do, is twofold. 00:12:29.340 --> 00:12:31.139 It's first delight and dependence. 00:12:32.300 --> 00:12:35.340 And it says in verse 4 and verse 23, 00:12:36.160 --> 00:12:39.900 The righteous are described as those who delight in the Lord. 00:12:39.899 --> 00:12:44.779 So being a Christian, then, is not just about obeying God or doing our duty. 00:12:44.919 --> 00:12:45.039 Right? 00:12:45.100 --> 00:12:49.139 But it's about delighting in Him or appreciating Him and loving Him. 00:12:49.659 --> 00:12:55.480 Because it's not just about becoming a subject in the kingdom of God, but also sons and daughters of the family of God. 00:12:55.539 --> 00:12:55.699 Right? 00:12:55.860 --> 00:12:57.699 So we delight in His ways. 00:12:58.220 --> 00:12:59.240 And then verse 4 promises, 00:12:59.459 --> 00:13:04.019 Then if you delight in Him, delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. 00:13:04.759 --> 00:13:07.039 That's a really, really staggering promise. 00:13:07.039 --> 00:13:07.240 Right? 00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:09.100 He will give you the desires of your heart. 00:13:09.899 --> 00:13:09.920 Right? 00:13:10.040 --> 00:13:13.139 And this doesn't mean that God will grant us our every whim. 00:13:13.340 --> 00:13:13.440 Right? 00:13:13.500 --> 00:13:20.399 But it does mean that for those who delight in the Lord, those whose desires are aligned with the desires of the Lord. 00:13:20.500 --> 00:13:25.159 So people who think God's thoughts after Him, people who desire things of God after Him, 00:13:25.500 --> 00:13:29.240 those people, their desires of their hearts, God will grant them. 00:13:29.300 --> 00:13:30.080 God will give them. 00:13:30.120 --> 00:13:30.920 And that's a promise. 00:13:30.919 --> 00:13:36.579 So then if we delight ourselves in the Lord, then we can be assured that all our desires will be granted. 00:13:37.679 --> 00:13:41.819 And then that's not just delight, but we're also called to depend on the Lord. 00:13:41.919 --> 00:13:48.079 So if you look at the kind of series of verbs and commands that are in passage in this psalm, they're all very similar. 00:13:48.080 --> 00:13:49.780 They exhort similar things. 00:13:49.879 --> 00:13:53.879 So verse 3 and verse 5, they both say, trust in the Lord. 00:13:54.220 --> 00:13:57.480 Verse 5, it says, commit your way to the Lord. 00:13:57.600 --> 00:13:59.960 Verse 7, it says, be still before the Lord. 00:14:00.300 --> 00:14:02.980 Verses 9 and 34, it says, wait for the Lord. 00:14:03.060 --> 00:14:03.220 Right? 00:14:03.220 --> 00:14:08.879 They're all words that convey dependence, waiting, being still, committing to Him. 00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:16.000 And it's really the word that describes someone who is meek. 00:14:16.720 --> 00:14:18.220 And verse 11 talks about that. 00:14:18.279 --> 00:14:20.460 It says, the meek shall inherit the land. 00:14:20.940 --> 00:14:23.220 And the word meek can also be translated humble. 00:14:23.340 --> 00:14:29.019 It's the same word that is used to describe Moses in Numbers 12.3 when it says that Moses was very meek. 00:14:29.019 --> 00:14:35.419 And that's the passage where Miriam and Aaron rebel against Moses and they oppose Moses. 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:38.139 And they say, well, God only spoke through Moses. 00:14:38.340 --> 00:14:39.639 He also spoke through us. 00:14:39.679 --> 00:14:42.480 And they try to presume Moses' position of leadership. 00:14:42.980 --> 00:14:49.980 And when those people are rebelling against him, Moses refuses to defend himself, to advocate for himself. 00:14:50.179 --> 00:14:54.199 But he instead turns to God and lets him defend him and be his advocate. 00:14:54.200 --> 00:15:04.140 And that's what meekness is, is to entrust oneself to God so completely that you don't defend yourself, but you let God defend you, right, when you are assaulted. 00:15:04.820 --> 00:15:09.700 And that meekness is what characterizes, what's exhorted in the Psalms. 00:15:09.820 --> 00:15:10.780 Commit your way to the Lord. 00:15:10.920 --> 00:15:12.900 Trust in Him and He will act. 00:15:13.360 --> 00:15:16.020 And it says, those who are meek will inherit the land. 00:15:16.019 --> 00:15:23.879 And that's quoted later in Matthew 5.5 by Jesus when He says, the blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 00:15:24.460 --> 00:15:31.799 And inheriting the earth, inheriting the land, it's all an allusion back to the time when Israel inherited the promised land. 00:15:32.299 --> 00:15:36.620 And so it's saying that it's those who are meek who entrust themselves to the Lord who inherit the land. 00:15:36.620 --> 00:15:47.679 And we know from Hebrews teaching in chapter 11, 8 to 16, that the promised land of Canaan was ultimately pointing to heaven, our promised land, ultimate promised land. 00:15:48.120 --> 00:15:50.299 And it's the same, the same principle applies. 00:15:50.419 --> 00:15:52.659 It's those who are meek who inherit the land. 00:15:52.879 --> 00:15:54.720 It's those who are meek who inherit heaven. 00:15:55.060 --> 00:16:00.279 It's not those who seek to aggressively, you know, enter the kingdom of heaven themselves. 00:16:00.580 --> 00:16:04.919 It's not those who seek to enter heaven by their own righteousness that inherit the land. 00:16:04.919 --> 00:16:15.279 But it's people who meekly, humbly depend on the Lord for their salvation, who forsake their own righteousness and cling to the righteousness of Jesus in His life, death, and resurrection. 00:16:15.699 --> 00:16:17.779 Those are the people who inherit the land. 00:16:18.519 --> 00:16:25.240 And that's significant because it's in Jesus that this recompense and retribution are ultimately fulfilled. 00:16:25.860 --> 00:16:33.679 The recompense for the righteous, He fulfilled when He came to His first coming and He died for the sins of people. 00:16:33.679 --> 00:16:37.019 So that He rose again to give new life and eternal life to His people. 00:16:37.539 --> 00:16:42.739 And at His second coming, the retribution for the wicked will come in its fullness where they will pay. 00:16:42.819 --> 00:16:46.899 And because of that, in Jesus, that recompense and retribution are ultimately fulfilled. 00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:52.179 And as we look to Jesus, then we can fully delight in the Lord and we can depend on Him. 00:16:52.299 --> 00:16:53.559 And that's what we're called to do. 00:16:54.159 --> 00:16:59.579 And one of the best ways to delight in Him and depend on Him is to pray and to sing. 00:16:59.580 --> 00:17:02.220 So let's sing a song and then let's pray to God together.