Great, we're going to be in Psalm 30 tonight. So if you want to turn to Psalm 30, I'm going to read it for us and then I'm going to pray and hand over to Clifford who's going to preach for us from Psalm 30.
Let me read it for us. A Psalm, a song for the dedication of the temple of David. I will exalt you, Lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
Lord, my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead. You spared me from going down to the pit.
Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people. Praise his holy name. For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favour lasts a lifetime.
Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
When I felt secure, I said, I shall never be shaken. Lord, when you favoured me, you made my royal mountain stand firm. But when you hid your face, I was dismayed.
To you, Lord, I called. To the Lord, I cried for mercy. What is gained if I am silenced, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness?
Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me. Lord, be my help. You turned my wailing into dancing. You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
Lord, my God, I will praise you forever. Let me pray as Clifford comes to speak.
Father, we do pray just with thankfulness for Clifford and even more for your word.
And we pray, please, that you would help Clifford now to speak clearly and faithfully.
Give us ears to hear what he has to say and you have to say through him. In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Good evening.
I suspect that if I had a choice, I would perhaps be in my shorts in my back garden looking at my tomatoes.
In the sovereignty of God, however, I'm here to share God's word with you. Let's pray together.
Amen.
And so, Father, we feel hot and bothered.
And there's a sense in which we are not fully able to concentrate on your word.
But thank you that you are able to concentrate on us.
Meet with us as we meet around your word now.
And speak to us through your word.
Your written word that speaks about Jesus, the living word.
In his name.
Amen.
Sometimes it's difficult to try and convey to you what privileges I feel in just standing here preaching to you.
Having preached for 40, 45, 50 years in Scotland and in England.
And I felt that my ministry had come to an end until it was kicked into being again by Steve.
So thank you.
As we look at this psalm this evening, the psalm of praise and thanksgiving from the first standard to the last.
This praise is expressed six times in the psalm.
The psalm is remembering the psalm.
The psalm is remembering the greatness of God at a great event.
The psalm is remembering the psalm.
The psalm has an unusual title, dedication to the temple of David.
But some evangelicals, commentators believe that this psalm was written prophetically for the dedication of the temple which David prayed for, but for his son Solomon, who actually built it.
But in the context, it would seem to me that the psalm was actually written for the dedication of David's palace, not the temple.
Please note that there is nothing in the psalm which describes the palace in any way.
What is described is the greatness of God in his deliverance of David.
So in fact, the dedication of David's house, he wanted God to be praised, not himself.
He didn't want the architect to be praised or the builder, but he wanted God to get all the praise.
The background to the history of David's policies, its completion is found in the book of Samuel.
In 2 Samuel 5 and 11 to 12, it says this.
Now Haram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with the cedar logs and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David.
Then David knew, emphasis, that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and established his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.
Now that's a very foundational and an important background or backdrop to the psalms that you need to have whole intention as we look at the psalm.
So David, at the dedication of his house, is quite clear that he was not asking anyone to focus on himself.
What perhaps could have been perceived as a monument to himself and his personal achievement,
when David could have show off and said, look at me, look at my strength, look at my ability, look at my wealth.
Look at my wealth.
Look at my kingdom and look at my kingdom and look at the palace that I was able to build because of my ability.
In influence, and to gather all the workers and materials from every part of the kingdom.
And so what might have been a monument to man's achievement, instead became an occasion for David to praise God.
So in this statement that we find in 2 Samuel chapter 5 and verse 11 to 12, David, in fact, knew three things that made the reign of David great.
The reference is 2 Samuel 5, 11 to 12.
So in this statement, David knew three things that made the reign of David great.
David knew, one, that the Lord had established him as the king over Israel in verse 12.
David knew, secondly, that the Lord had established his kingdom.
And thirdly, David knew that God had made him king and had made and exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people.
You see, David knew that God wanted to use him as a channel to bless his people.
And one of the joys of being here and seeing the changes and so on.
And of course, we're coming up to leadership and so on.
One of the things that we need to be aware of is we want people who are aware of their being called by God to be used,
not to promote themselves, but to bless the people, to serve the people.
And if I understand correctly, this psalm,
David is trying to make what I would call pertinent points that we need to hear,
we need to understand, and we need to embrace as a fellowship and as a leadership.
He says it was not for David's sake or his family that he was lifted up by God.
But for the sake of the benefit of God's people.
What a beautiful picture then, brothers and sisters, we have in 2 Samuel 5,
and verse 11 to 12, or if you say 1 to 11, what about?
About the establishment of David's house.
No wonder then that we begin to see the reflection in David's heart in Psalm 30, as he wrote Psalm,
I will exalt you, Lord, for you filled me, you lifted me out of the depths.
And this explains to us the core reason of David's praise to God.
My brothers and sisters, this evening, it will seem to me that David knew that his governance and status in Israel
was not himself or his kingship, but the hand and work of God.
You see, this does not mean that David passively did it all by himself.
But even in his action and use of abundance and of energy,
David was acutely aware that he was able to do all that he did because of God.
And it is that acute awareness that we have reflected in the Psalm of Praise.
Charles Spurgeon, in his commentary on the Psalm of David,
he's not my favorite commentator, but I'll quote him.
He writes,
Grace has lifted us up from the pit of hell, from the ditch of sin,
from the flow of despondent,
from the bed of sickness,
from the bondage of doubts and fears.
Have we no song to sing
a Psalm of Praise to our God?
If God, in other words, he's saying,
if God has done so much for us,
have we not something to praise God,
to give God thanks for, to exalt God for?
You see, David understood in the context of the Psalm
that God had lifted you up from the depths.
He had sung.
Deaths he had fallen,
and he sung, and he sang,
and he wrote the Psalm of Praise to God.
In 1b, David says,
You did not let my enemies gloat over me.
And when I had to laugh,
when I was looking at this,
I could imagine some of David's enemies
looking over the wall and mocking him.
And what David is saying here is,
God did not allow his enemies to look upon his misfortune
or downfall with smugness and harmful pleasure.
You know, sometimes you warn someone about something,
and when it eventually happened,
yeah, yeah, you know, that kind of mocking.
David is saying,
God did not allow his enemies to do that to him.
He speaks about healing here,
speaks about,
and reflects upon the value of God's help to David
at any time he had a need.
And what we're speaking about here is not,
may not have been physical healing,
but many of the commentators believe
that David is reflecting here
about the time in his experience
when God saved him from life-threatening illness.
So he thanked the Lord in a variety of ways
for God's dedication to his own place
and his own life and service.
And brothers and sisters,
it's not so much the building that David is worried about.
It's about the relationship that he had with this God
and the relationship was found
on the life that he lived with this God.
No wonder then further on in the psalm,
David would have us.
I waited patiently for the Lord.
He turned me and he heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the timey pit,
out of the mud and mire.
He set my feet on the rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth
and a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
and put their trust in him.
In Psalm 40, 1 and 3,
David is saying the same thing in a different way.
So if verse 1 and 3 is a remembrance
of the greatness of God,
at the dedication of David's house,
and a great event in David's life,
I would suggest to you then,
verse 4 and 5,
we see a dawning of a new day.
You see, in 4 and 5,
we clearly see that the psalm
is not only David's personal expression
of praise, worship, and thanksgiving,
but it was also used by the congregation
to worship.
And here David encouraged them
in the words,
sing praise to the Lord,
you as faithful people,
praise his holy name.
Mark, defy the Lord with all with me,
and let it exalt his name,
is the AV.
Personal praise and worship
to a God of the Bible,
what does not enrich you and me,
and bring praise to God,
becomes self-centered
and self-indulgent.
Perhaps can even lead us
to thinking that we notice God
better than anyone else.
And one commentator said,
it can lead us to pride.
Verse 5,
his anger lasts for a moment,
but his favor lasts for a lifetime.
Weeping may stay for the night,
but rejoicing tarries
or comes in the morning.
Each morning,
God's mercies are new to us,
as so is his faithfulness.
In Psalms 46 and verse 5,
David asserts,
God is in the midst of her.
He shall not be moved.
God shall help her
at the break of dawn.
In Psalms 59 and verse 16,
David writes,
I will sing of your power.
Yes, I will sing aloud
of your mercy in the morning,
for you have been my defense
and refuge
in the day of trouble.
Of course,
a verse that we know very well,
Jeremiah says in Lamentation,
though the Lord's mercies
or through the Lord's mercies
we are not consumed
because his compassions fail not.
They are new every morning.
Great is thy faithfulness.
Just by way of aside,
someone,
a complete stranger to me,
reflected yesterday
and commented on the singing
at the wedding.
And they felt
that there was something
different about it.
God's compassion,
God's faithfulness.
God was here with us yesterday
as we celebrate.
You see,
the realize of God's mercy
and compassion
and faithfulness
generated hope
in David's soul,
turning his faith arm,
his contemplation of trouble
into a confession
of faith.
Because the Lord loves us,
he chastened us,
but he does not consume us.
But his chastening
is only temporal.
His discipline
is but
he does not destroy us.
He disciplines us,
but he does not
destroy us.
Which would lead us
to despair.
But the word of the Bible
does not lead us
to despair.
He is to compassionate
for that.
He wants us
to recognize.
You see,
his unbelief
causes us to look
to a God
through the lens
of circumstances.
And this creates
feeling
of a sense
of hopelessness,
does it not?
But faith
enables us
to look
at our circumstances
through the reality
of God's promises.
And this gives us hope.
when we look
at our reality
of our circumstances
through God's lens,
we see things
through different eyes.
We see them
through the eyes
of faith.
And this is what
the psalmist
is talking about.
This kind of hope
that the psalmist
is speaking about
is the resurrection
of our Lord
brought at the dawning
of the new day
for all who trust
in him.
So weeping
comes every often
as an unwelcome guest.
But God's
gracious favor
is with us
and is for us
for a lifetime
and into eternity.
The grace
that God
extends to you
today
is not only
until you die.
Psalmist
said,
even though
I walk
through the valley
of the shadow
of death,
I will fear
no evil.
Why?
For thou art
with me
in life
and in death.
And he brings comfort.
And that's
to encourage us
even on a warm
sticky day.
That's to
encourage us.
My brothers and sisters,
I believe that
this is what Paul
is referring to
when he wrote
to the church
at Corinth
in 2 Corinthians
chapter 4
and verse 16
and 18.
Therefore,
we do not
lose heart
though outwardly
we are wasting
away,
yet inwardly
we are being
renewed day by day
for light
and momentary
troubles
are achieving
for us
an eternal glory
that far awaits
them all.
And so what
do we do?
He says,
we fix our eyes
on Jesus.
Brothers and sisters,
I tell you,
we can't afford
to lose sight
of him
even
in tragedy.
The 29th of December
last day,
I had the shock
of my life
when I had
a telephone call
to tell me
that my nephew
died
in an accident.
He died instantly.
The other guy
was thrown
through the windscreen.
And that very
moment,
I said to my wife,
let's pray
to God.
And I know
how you feel.
You've got my
sympathy.
Paul said,
we don't lose
heart.
we keep
our eyes fixed.
And Jesus,
the one who
is the author,
and finisher
of our faith.
So we don't
look at what
is seen,
but we look
at what is unseen.
Because what we
see is temporary,
transient.
But what we
see,
is eternal
in Christ.
Is that not
this what
Jesus explained
to his disciples
in John chapter
16,
verse 20 and
22,
most surely
I tell you,
you will weep
and mourn
while the world
rejoices.
You will grieve,
but your grief
will turn
to God.
My brothers and
sisters,
I have never
given birth.
I am privileged
to be in a
family of 15,
10 boys
and five girls.
But I know a
little about
childbirth,
because I know
my grandma used
to come in the
evening,
and in the
morning we'll
hear,
yeah,
that means the
child was born.
A woman
giving birth to
a child has
pain before
time has come.
But when
her baby is
born,
she forgets
the anguish,
she forgets my
brothers and
sisters,
the pain,
because of her
joy.
That the child
is born into
the world,
and in the
child,
a hope
is realized.
And we
heard the
story about
the Lord
Jesus Christ,
unto a child
is born,
unto a son
is given,
and his name
shall be called
Wonderful,
Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting
Father,
Prince of
Peace,
and so on
and so on.
And that
child went
to a cross
and died
in your
place,
in my
place.
all the
sins.
We have to
be careful
here because
my pastor
told me I've
got 45
minutes and
I wouldn't
take 50.
So I have
to be careful.
So I have
to be careful.
And as
with the hope
that is found
in the child
with the
mother,
so it is
with you,
says Jesus.
Now it's
your time
of anguish,
of grief.
But I
see you
again and
you will
rejoice
and no
one
will take
away your
joy.
God's
anger
lasts only
for a
moment
for its
favor
towards us
last
lifetime.
In verse
6 and
10,
we have a
new day
and
although
weeping
therefore
may stay
for the
night,
but we
have rejoicing
that it's
coming in the
morning.
And then we
have
verse 6 to 10,
a new heart
from pride to
humility.
In verse 6,
David said,
when I felt
secure,
I said,
I shall not
be shaken,
moved.
And the
aviates said,
it's now in
my prosperity,
I said,
I shall never
be removed.
Prosperity here
means careless
ease,
living carefree
and self-assured
life because
things are going
well with you.
this is
frequently seen
in the life
of the
unconverted.
In Psalms
10,
6,
he says to
himself,
nothing will
ever shake
me and
he swears
that no
one will
ever do
me harm.
In Luke
12,
16,
21,
where Jesus
told his
disciples the
story of the
rich man who
yielded an
abundant
harvest.
And he
said to
himself,
this is what
I will do.
I will tear
down my
barns,
build buildings
and build
bigger ones
and there I
will store
my surplus
grain.
And I
will say
to myself,
you have
plenty of
grain laid
up for
many years.
Take
life easy.
Eat,
drink and
be merry.
But God
said to him,
you fool.
This very
night your
life will be
demanded from
you.
Then you
will get
what you
have prepared
for yourself.
this is how
it will be
whoever
saw up
things for
themselves,
but is
not rich
towards God.
But this
not only
applies to
the unconverted,
it's a
content
temptation
for
Christians
also.
When we
look at the
prosperity of
others,
we can
begin to
be jealous
and envious.
Psalm speaks
about it in
Psalm 73.
Here then
is a
clear warning
that we
ought to
be aware.
David
says,
surely God
is good
to Israel,
to those
who are
pure in
heart.
But as
for me,
David
said,
my feet
had almost
slipped.
I had
nearly
lost my
foothold.
He says,
for I
envied the
arrogant when
he saw
the prosperity
of the
wicked.
Verse 3,
they have
no struggles,
their bodies
are healthy
and strong.
Verse 40,
they go to
the gym
every day.
I see
them.
They are
free from
common human
burden.
They are
not plagued
by human
ills.
Therefore,
pride is
in their
necklace.
They
clothe
themselves
with
violence.
From
their
callous
hearts
comes
iniquity.
Their
evil
imaginations
have no
limit.
They
scoff
and speak
malice
with
arrogance.
They
threaten
oppression.
And he
goes on
and goes
on.
Verse
12,
we
conclude,
this is
what the
wicked are
like.
Always
free of
care,
they go
on assigning
wealth,
assimilating
wealth.
But the
subject of
prosperity is
never without
peril.
the
prosperity
with him
to
affect
David
in an
adverse
way.
In
Psalm
30,
he was
not
strong
enough to
stand
his
temptation.
Unless we
look down
on David,
I wonder
how many of us
are strong
enough to
stand this
temptation.
You see,
David had
become proud
and self-confident.
he said in
his heart,
when I
felt secure,
I said I
should never
be shaken,
not be
moved forever.
In the
context of
David's confidence
as the king
of Israel
and the
leader of
his people,
no doubt
he was.
but you
see,
his heart
was lifted
up in
the wrong
way,
not to
God,
to himself.
And in
the spirit
of self-
glorification,
David commanded
the commander
Joab to
number the
people of
Israel,
as documented
in 2
Samuel 24.
And as a
result of
that action,
70,000
Israelis
died.
they
perished.
See,
David became
proud and
wanted to
magnify his
own achievement
rather than
glorifying God.
And Joab,
the commander
of the army,
advised the
king not to
take the
census.
And he was
dismissed.
And his
advice in
2 Samuel
24.
Verse 3,
when he
said to the
king,
now may
the Lord
your God
multiply the
troops a
hundred times
over.
May the
eyes of my
Lord the
king see
it.
But why
does my
Lord the
king desire
this thing?
Why?
What is
going on
in your
heart?
And David
took the
census of
the people
of God
without due
inquiry by
means of
the oracle
of God
according to
what God
had commanded
him to
do and
the people
of Israel.
And his
chronicle for
us in
God's
worth.
According
to
Exodus
30,
11,
16,
God
was
against
the
numbering
of
Israel.
God
was
not
against
the
numbering
of
Israel,
but there
was clear
conditions in
which sentences
had to be
taken.
I don't
want to
bore you
with the
details,
but it
was enough
for me
to tell
you,
each
person
over
twenty
must
pay
half
a
shekel
to
the
Lord
for
the
ransom
of
life.
The
rich and
the poor
pay the
same.
The money
received was
to be used
specifically for
the service of
the tenth of
meeting.
And being
used in this
way, it
becomes a
memorial for the
Israelite before
the Lord,
making a
tone for
their lives.
But it
would seem to
me that
David seemed
to forget
this command
of God
to Moses,
who told
them before
the hand,
that if the
multitude were
numbered,
they should
pay on
this money.
And by
its very
omission,
the price
of an
offering,
David invaded
the rights
of the
supreme king
of Israel.
set aside
the positive
command of
God.
And I
say to you,
my brothers and
sisters,
as I reflect on
that, and I'm
going to close
in a minute,
as I thought
about it, I
thought about
what is God's
will?
What is God's
purpose?
I don't know
if I've told
you, but I've
certainly told
Steve, we've
got two sons
daughters, and
both are
ministers.
And when
John, who
is eight
years older
than the
oldest one,
James, came
and approached
me and told
me he wanted
to go into
ministry, if
I'm to be
honest, my
knees buckled
because I
didn't want
him to follow
me.
My interest
is that he
was following
the Lord.
And after
questioning him
several times,
I said to
him, I
will pray
for him.
He's in
ministry today,
and he's
pursuing what
he believes,
God's will
is.
What compiled
the problem is
James was a
secondary school
maths teacher,
doing very
well, and
was due for
promotion after
five days.
And he came
and said
the same
thing to
me.
Well, no
wonder I've
lost all my
hair.
Didn't make
the problem
any easier.
And I
said to
him, I
don't leave
him's job
until he's
certain that
he's heard
not from
me, but
from God.
And James
currently is
working in
duty.
I link
the story
with this,
you see,
because it's
God's will
is important
above all
it's.
And I
know Nathan
is on the
road, not
to Damascus,
but to
follow the
Lord.
And I
say to you
with encouragement,
Nathan,
hear God's
voice.
Steve is
important, and
I'm less
important.
The God is
super important.
He is
voice.
I'm going to
close now
because I
feel Steve is
getting itchy.
So I'm
not, I'm
going to
finish now.
How do I
finish this
now and
have
credibility?
My
brothers and
sisters, as
we look at
this psalm,
there's so
much in
the psalm
that I
cannot do
justice.
So I
go to,
as I
finish now,
in verse
11 and
12.
I would
like to
draw your
attention to
something that
I think is
important as
we read
the psalms.
I want to
draw your
attention to
the fact that
seven times in
this psalm,
David reference
that it was
God who was
at work in
his life.
In verse
1, you
lifted me.
Verse 2, you
healed me.
Verse 3, you
brought me up
from the realm
of dead.
Verse 3b, you
spread me.
From going down
to the pit, you
spared me.
7a, you
favored me.
7b, you
made my
royal mountain
stand.
7c, you
hid your face.
in this
reference, and
I particularly
wanted to
reference him
this evening,
David was
bringing
witness to
the strong
and gracious
hands of
the Lord,
working in
his life
on his
behalf to
bring glory
to himself.
That is the
emphasis of
the psalm.
That is what
Tom is trying
to say, but
he's going to
say something
else.
Even God
chastening and
discipline was
an expression
of God's
love for
David.
And the
writer to
the Hebrews
reminds us
of this,
that in our
struggle against
sin, you
have not yet
resisted to
the point of
shedding of
blood, and
have yet
completely
forgotten his
word of
encouragement,
the emphasis
that addresses
you as a
father, addresses
his son.
The word of
encouragement
addresses you
and me, from
God as a
father to
sons and
daughters.
And he
went on to
say, my
son, do not
make light,
the Lord
discipline, and
do not lose
heart when he
rebukes you,
because the
Lord discipline
the one he
loves, and
he chastens
everyone he
accepts as
his son.
And so
please know
that David
knew he
was forgiven,
he was
moved from
the funeral
mode to
rejoice in
his forgiveness.
He removed
the sackcloth
and sadness
which made
him sad,
and everything
about him in
scripture in the
Old Testament,
we see a
dramatic change,
an alteration
of one life
was often
marked by a
change of
clothing in the
Old Testament.
and be
calm now.
We notice
in this
psalm of
twelve verses,
tanzas, or
trophies as
they call it,
you notice that
he mentioned
the Lord nine
times, and I
think that is
significant.
You notice he
speaks about
his Lord in
verse one,
Lord my God
in verse two,
Lord in verse
three, Lord in
verse four,
Lord in verse
seven,
Lord in
verse eight
twice, and
Lord in
verse ten, and
Lord my God
in verse
twelve.
Now close now,
Lord in
capital represents
Jehovah in
the Hebrew, as
I'm told, is
interpreted Yahweh,
the self-existent
one.
this is the
supreme name of
God, and I
am told that
the Jews
avoided pronouncing
out of respect
because of their
interpretation of
Leviticus chapter
14 and verse
six, which
state that anyone
who uses the
name of the
Lord blasphemously
is to be put to
death.
Now then, it is
this understanding,
understanding, it
is this
understanding that
David is bringing
to the psalm, that
the psalm is about
the Lord.
It's about him and
him only.
This is not what
Paul is talking
about in
Philippians chapter
20.
Therefore God
exalted him to be
the highest place
and gave him a
name that is above
every name, that
of the name of
Jesus every knee
should bow, in
heaven and earth
and under the
earth, and every
tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is
Lord to the glory
of God the
Father.
Brothers and
sisters, as we
gather around the
table, this is
evening.
It is known in
scripture that the
names that we
describe very
aspects of God's
nature in the
Lord's Supper, but
supreme, it is
called Eucharist.
Many other
idioms that are
used, but the
Lord's Supper.
It is the Lord's
Supper.
He's the one that
Isaiah saw in
chapter 6.
Saw the Lord and
his train filled
the temple.
And you know the
rest of the
story.
He's the one
David wrote about
in the Psalms and
reference nine
times.
He's the one who
Mary Magdalene saw
and testified to
the disciples in
John chapter 20
and verse 18.
She had seen
the Lord.
And he's the
one who invites
us to come to
his table this
evening and to
share the bread
and wine that
speaks about his
body and his
blood.
May the Lord
bless us.
Amen.
Thank you.