Ascension Presbyterian Lord's Day Worship

Well, good morning, my brothers and sisters in Christ Grace and peace be unto you from God our

Father and the Lord Jesus Christ Welcome to the corporate worship of our God, please stand and hear

God call you to worship through his word for you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire and To blackness and darkness and tempest and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words

So that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the Living God the heavenly

Jerusalem to an innumerable innumerable company of angels to the

General Assembly and Church of the firstborn Who are registered in heaven to God the judge of all to the spirits of just men made perfect to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant and to the blood of Sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel See that you do not refuse him who speaks

For if they did not escape who refused him who spoke on earth Much more shall we not escape if we turn away from him who speaks from heaven

Whose voice then shook the earth But now he is promised saying yet.

Once more. I shake not only the earth, but also heaven Now this yet once more indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken as Of the things that are made that the things which cannot be shaken may remain therefore since we are

Receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken. Let us have grace by which we may serve

God acceptably with reverence in godly fear For our

God is a consuming fire. Amen. Let us pray our

Father in heaven We have come to worship and bow down and kneel before you the

Lord our maker For you are our God and we are the people of your pasture and the sheep of your hand

We come to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world

He is our advocate with the Father. He is our only mediator between God and man

He always lives to make intercession for us Through him.

We come boldly to your throne of grace in His name we earnestly seek you.

Oh Lord our souls thirst for you our flesh yearns for you in a dry and weary land where there is no water

Bow your heavens and come down Inhabit the praises of your people Remember your promise

Oh Spirit of Christ to be present in the midst of your worshiping people When two or more are gathered in your name

Condescend to us grant us the joy of your fellowship speak to us through your word and Be blessed by our praise and adoration

We ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Please kneel as you are able for the corporate confession of sin

Let us join together in confessing our sins gracious God Our sins are too heavy to carry too real to hide too deep to undo

Forgive what our lips tremble to name what our hearts can no longer bear and what a consuming fire of judgment

Set us free from the past that we have not changed The future

Please stand as we think of our sins and we think of the

Old Covenant people of God who Regularly had to continue to offer a sacrifice for their sin

Knowing that the blood of bull and bulls and goats would not take away sin

Yet we have won our lamb of God who has been sacrificed for us and takes away our sin

With great joy receive this assurance of pardon He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the son of his love in Whom we have

Redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins my brothers and sisters in Christ rejoice

Your sins are forgiven Amen Please take up the

Trinity hymnal and turn to him number 642 be thou my vision him 642 please take up the insert and look for our psalm of the week

Psalm 56 You have recorded all my ways

Psalm 56 the tune will be the traditional crown him with many crowns

I'm sorry all hail the power. Thank you. I made that mistake earlier. Thank you Well hail the power of Jesus name, which is not the same as crowning with many crowns

Psalm 56, please remain standing for the public reading of God's Word from Revelation chapter 8

Revelation chapter 8. This is the Word of the Lord When he opened the seventh seal there was silence silence in heaven for about half an hour

And I saw the seven angels Who stand before God and to them?

Were given seven trumpets Then another angel having a golden censer came and stood at the altar

He was given much incense and he should offer it with the prayers of all the

Saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne and the smoke of the incense with the prayers of the

Saints as ascended before God from the angels hand then the angel took the censer filled

But filled it with fire from the altar and threw it into the earth and there were noises thunderings lightnings and earthquake

So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound the first angel sounded inhale and fire followed mingled with blood and they were thrown into the earth and A third of the trees were burned up and all the green grass was burnt up Then the second angel sounded and something like a great

Mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea and a third of the sea became blood and they in a third of the living creatures in the sea died

And a third of the ships were destroyed Then third angel sounded and a great star fell from heaven burning like a torch and it fell on fell on a third of the rivers and on the third and on the spring of water the name of the star was wormwood a third of the water became wormwood and Many men died from the water because it it was made bitter

Then the fourth angel sounded and a third of the Sun was struck a third of the moon a third of the stars so that a third of them were darkened a third of the day did not shine and likewise the night and I looked and I heard an

Angel flying through the midst of the heaven saying with a loud voice.

Whoa Whoa whoa to the inhabitants of the earth because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of The three angels who are about to sound this is the word of the

Lord Let us now continue our worship by confessing our ancient

Christian faith in the singing of the Apostles Creed Conceived by the

Holy Spirit For conscious fire was crucified dead and descended into hell

The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven the right hand of God who drives the living and the dead

Believe in the Holy Spirit I Believe the

Holy Catholic Church The Please take up the handle once more and open up to him number 235 all glory

Lord and honor him 235 Sweet Amen Please now make preparation for the prayers of the people.

Let us pray together. Oh God From whom come all holy desires all good counsel and all just works

Give to us your servants that peace which the world cannot give

That our hearts may be set to obey your commandments and Also that we being defended from the fear of our enemies may live in peace and quietness

The merits of Jesus Christ our Savior who lives and reigns with you and the

Holy Spirit God forever Amen for the

Church of Jesus Christ That it may be filled with truth and love and be found without fault at the day of your coming

We pray to you. Oh Lord for all ministers

Missionaries and the mission of the church that in faithful witness the gospel may be preached.

We pray to you. Oh Lord For those in positions of public trust

That they may serve justice and promote the dignity and freedom of every person.

We pray to you. Oh Lord for the poor the persecuted the sick and all who suffer for Refugees prisoners and all who are in danger that they may be relieved and protected.

We pray to you. Oh Lord for this congregation

For those who are present and for those who are absent That we may be delivered from hardness of heart and show forth your glory in all that we do we pray to you

Oh Lord Finding ourself in agreement with all these things.

We join our voices together and say Amen, please stand and take up the insert once again and look for our psalm of the month psalm 138

With all heart my heart With all my heart my thanks. I'll bring brother any words of encouragement or instruction

I know this is our second time for this. Is that right? All right.

Psalm 138 Amen Well, please open your

Bibles with me to psalm number seven The seventh psalm we are continuing our consideration

Of the Psalter and today brings us to psalm number seven Psalm 7 these are the words of God a meditation of David which he sang to the

Lord concerning the words of Cush a Benjamite Oh Lord my

God and you I put my trust Save me from all those who persecute me and deliver me lest they tear me like a lion

Rending me in pieces while there is none to deliver. Oh Lord my

God if I have done this if there is iniquity in my hands if I have repaid

Evil to him who was at peace with me or have plundered my enemy without cause

Let the enemy pursue me and overtake me. Yes, let him trample my life to the earth and lay my honor in the dust

Sila Arise O Lord and your anger lift yourself up because of the rage of my enemy

Rise up for me to the judgment you have commanded So the congregation of the peoples shall surround you

For their sakes therefore return on high The Lord shall judge the people's judge me.

Oh Lord according to my righteousness and According to my integrity

Within me. Oh Let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end but establish the just for the righteous

God tests the hearts and minds My defense is of God who saves the upright in heart

God is a just judge and God is angry with the wicked every day if He does not turn back he will sharpen his sword he bends his bow and makes it ready

He also prepares for himself Instruments of death he makes his arrows into fiery shafts

Behold the wicked brings forth iniquity. Yes, he conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood

He made a pit and dug it out and has fallen into the ditch which he made

His trouble shall return upon his own head and his violent dealing shall come down on his own crown.

I Will praise the Lord according to his Righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the

Lord Most High Let us pray merciful

Lord the comforter and teacher of your faithful people increase in your church the desires which you have given and Confirm the hearts of those who hope in you by enabling us to understand the depth of your promises

That all of your adopted sons and daughters may even now behold with the eyes of faith

Impatiently wait for the light which you have Revealed in your word and we ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our

Lord who is the light of the world Amen Please be seated

Well, we are picking up again where we had left off some time ago in our consideration of the

Psalms and at the beginning of this a few years back we had mentioned there were some very good and Reasonable things why we would do this that the one

I'm just going to mention is this from 2nd Timothy 3 16 all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction and righteousness

That the man of God may be complete and thoroughly equipped in every good work

The Psalms in many ways are uniquely equipped for this very thing To teach us how we should act what we should think how we should respond how we should talk to God and So we come to this seventh psalm

Ch Spurgeon wrote about this psalm. He called it the song of the slandered saint

There are times when the people of God will suffer injustice at the hands of wicked men

The righteous should call upon God to prevail on behalf of his people the

God who says Vengeance is mine. I will repay Promises to right the wrongs done to his people

Here we have a psalm that describes a time when David suffered unjustly

David suffered wrong at the hands of his enemies David called upon God to execute judgment in his wrath and indignation

That God would defend his people and he will

Defend his people. He will execute perfect justice and that with equity

We have many in our day clamoring about equity so much so that we may be sick of hearing it

But they will get equity just not in the way that they imagined They will get equity in judgment when our

God rises to judge the people he will do so with equity and God judge will judge those who persecute his people in this life or in the final judgment we see that this is a psalm of meditation

The Hebrew word is Shigion and We are informed that that means that this is a psalm of a tense

Emotion and that it is a varied emotion It is not just one kind of emotion

But it's multiple kinds of emotion and we see this intensity with David stating the situation with his enemies

We see the intensity of David's plea Plea rather to God to render justice and We see the intensity with David's response to a righteous

God Notice what David had done though when he was moved and with intense emotion in this case caused by false

Accusations and persecution about him. He broke out in song

We need to recover this aspect of our singing we can call to mind

James 5 13 is Anyone among you suffering let him pray as anyone cheerful.

Let him sing songs David did both in song.

We need to learn that we can turn the most disastrous event into an occasion for singing

That would turn the tables on the enemy would it not Martin Luther once said

David made psalms and we also will make psalms and sing them as well as we can to honor to the honor of our

Lord and to the spite and mock the devil That's what we should do.

We should always be willing to turn the song This psalm we are told was written concerning the words of someone named

Cush a Benjaminite We do not know very much about this man

He was possibly a henchman of King Saul who himself was a

Benjaminite This would set the context of this persecution of David this false accusation

Rather at the time when Saul sought to kill David to take his life

David was being unjustly persecuted by Saul and He took great comfort in the perfect justice of God Lest we forget

Saul was the magistrate. He was the king and As we have been reminded in recent years of the study of Romans 13 one of the jobs

That the civil magistrate has is to do justice as God defines it

Saul Was an unjust man But David knew that there was a just and righteous

King God himself Well, let us take a look closer at our psalm here today and look at verse 1

Oh Lord my God, and you I put my trust in Some ways we should stop right here

That's all we need to study, right? That in any time and in any place We could call out and say

Oh Lord my God and you I put my trust That I won't lean on my own understanding but we do need to be instructed to what that looks like and David continues.

Oh Lord my God and you I put my trust save me from all those who persecute me and Deliver me

David was in trouble He was in great trouble, but he knew where he could turn

God was his Refuge God was his high tower his mighty fortress in him

David could trust just to pause for a moment. You may have noticed in our first hymn today and our psalm of the week contained some of these very themes

We worship a great God who providentially worked all these things out so that the very themes which we would talk about here today

We've sung about That God indeed is our fortress and we can like David turn to him

What was his trouble? Well, we touched on it a little bit he was being accused of something by these words of this kush and if these or indeed around the times of Saul's persecution of David unjustly that charge brought against him was one of treason

Saul had accused David of trying to usurp him To take the kingdom from Saul by fall force

Not only that he accused his own son Jonathan of being in league with David and overthrowing his kingship

And this charge Saul made very public Everyone knew it the

David himself Brings this to Saul's attention as we have in 1st Samuel 2 1st

Samuel 24 9 where we read this and David said to Saul Why do you listen to the words of men who say?

Indeed David seeks your harm These may be the very words of this kush

Or something similar. We don't know if kush said these things or not

But we do know that David was being persecuted being

Unjustly accused by the words of this kush maybe these words or maybe orders given by kush to pursue

David nevertheless David was in severe distress and He cried out to the

Lord deliver me that Hebrew word that is translated deliver means to pluck away to pull out the pot provide a means of escape and What should we learn here as I mentioned that the

Psalms are a great Instruction to us as Paul indicated all scripture is on how we should act and respond may we always?

Respond this way as our first line of defense Whatever our emergency may be

May we ever rely upon the Lord and seek his help to put our trust in him to cry out for salvation

And I don't mean our eternal salvation although if you are not in the

Lord you should cry out for your eternal salvation but those temporal salvations and Protection to seek deliverance from evil not to repay evil for evil

We must remember that we worship a God who has said That if you

May Seek to harm his people You are like one touching the apple of his eye we read this in Zechariah We says he who touches you touches the apple of his eye

We are his treasured possession We are his purchased and redeemed people we are those to whom his son our

Savior Jesus Christ shed his blood to redeem We must remember

That we should at all times and in all places put our trust in God It is never right to distrust

God and It is never in vain to fully trust him

But David continues Speaking of his enemies. He says lest they tear me like a lion

Rending me P in pieces while there is none to deliver It's a very interesting way to describe the enemies and in some ways it's the words of a shepherd a shepherd

Would have predators following the flock bears lions wolves and When they catch an unsuspecting sheep, they rend it piece by piece.

They tear it apart Devouring it and that's how David describes his enemies here

That there is cruelty in their actions that they are like animals That his enemies will tear and rend him like a lion

It's interesting that he would use that term The lion is often used to specify one of great strength and courage

He may be referring to Saul We must remember that many many times we think of Saul as a coward

But he was not he was a valiant warrior and a giant of a man

One that may be befitting to call a lion Nevertheless David feared that his enemies would cut him in pieces tear him limb from limb we might say

That they would descend upon him and he knew that there were none

To deliver him there was nobody there that would deliver him but there was one he could turn to for deliverance

David knew very well, and that's what he is teaching us here That there is none to save but God alone

There is none that can deliver but our Gracious God there is none that can save to the uttermost.

There is no Savior no deliverer There is none that can stay the hand of the enemy but God alone if it were not for him

The Saints would fall prey to their enemies This is what

David knew and why he cried out to God and we may find ourselves in a similar situation

We may have our own cushions You may have already experienced it those who would speak slanderously about us

About our faith about our Lord Friends family co -workers neighbors and others

That they would slander and accuse us of vile things We shouldn't be surprised

God himself was slandered and eaten by the evil one Hath God really said

God's afraid that if you eat you will become like him a slander

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was slandered by the religious elite of his day.

He saved others Himself he cannot save we will be slandered and sometimes you may even experience what

I'll call friendly fire A slander by those who should be your friends

Slander leaves a cut that may be even deeper than a sword and Even when it's wholly disproved that leaves a scar we may find ourselves facing trials and tribulations for our faith

We know this It says anyone who tries to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution

Because we name the name of Christ and seek to obey him we may find ourselves suffering under such tribulations and when we do

We should turn to the Lord our refuge our mighty fortress That we should cry out to God what

David opened the psalm with Oh Lord my God and you I put my trust

But let us continue and take a look at verses 3 through 5 here David says this

Oh Lord my God if I have done this if there is iniquity in my hands

David is saying if those things which this cush are is saying about me

These things that he is saying if these be true That I am guilty not only of thinking them

But actually have iniquity on my hands and I've actually done something if this is true

This specific charges if it's true But then David continues and goes on to verse 4 and says if I have repaid evil to him who was at peace with me so he moves from a very specific charge in verse 3 if I have done this to a more general charge not only if I Had done if I haven't done that if I have done evil

To those who are at peace with me To those who were in my circle who through showing their love to me as their neighbor

Gave me that feeling of peace that covenant bond of peace that's bound up in the words

Shalom If I have been at peace with my neighbor, but yet had done evil to them

So either if I am guilty of this charge that they could brought against me or I have mistreated my neighbor

By doing evil to him who was at peace, but then he raises the bar a little bit more Or have plundered my enemy without cause

Now we might think Plundering our enemy is good at any time But God doesn't

God has instructed us to love our enemies David is is calling this out.

He said if all of these things be true of any one of these is true Then he says this

Let the enemy pursue me and overtake me. Yes, let him trample my life to the earth and lay my honor in the dust

David is saying that if I am guilty of These charges any of them.

I am worthy of the judgment of God I'm worthy to have my life be forfeit in my honor

That I should have tied to my name Let it be lay in the dust.

I would be worthless. No, this is not David admitting to anything This is

David pleading with God and the innocence of his charge He is saying

I am blameless in The charges being brought against me and I'm blameless of any vile act that they may even think of Against me.

He's not saying he's sinless But he's saying in regards to these things the slander that is brought

Against me. I am not guilty What David is engaged in is something we should learn

He is engaged in a little Self -examination he's had vile things brought against him

And when we have vile things brought against us We really ought to look at our lives and say are these things true?

Have I done the things that they're accusing me of We asked the

Holy Spirit to examine us as well to call to mind whether we intentionally or Unintentionally have done anything

To deserve the slander that is against us

To determine if this was from God to drive us to repentance or From the accuser

Satan are these accusations hell -born and hell -bound

Originating from the father of lies who works to accuse the saints of sin. We must examine ourselves

But if we find ourselves to be innocent we must remember that no Innocence can shield us from the calumnies of the wicked

David had scrupulously avoiding any appearance of rebelling against Saul Who he referred to as the

Lord's anointed Not once but twice He had Saul in his hand to do with what he wanted once in the cave of Adullam and once in the midst of the camp and both times he didn't do anything

Not only could David say as he did hear that he was guilty of these charges and so so forth being blameless did not

Keep him from being accused the good that he did did not protect him from lying tongues

Nor will they protect us Sinners have ill will against the

Saints So we must remember that We should be blameless that we should be innocent of the slander brought against us, but that will not protect us from the work of the wicked ones

At the end of verse 5 we have a seal of Remembering what

Charles Spurgeon said about that term. It's it's it's a point where we should pause And look back and look forward

When we look back in this psalm, we see the case that David has brought before the Lord Caused by this one named

Cush These lying words this accusation We see

David's appeal to the God of heaven for deliverance. We see his protestation of his own innocence

But now let's take a look forward and see what David has for us in the remainder of the psalm

Looking at verse 6 arise. Oh Lord in your anger Lift yourself up lift yourself up Because of the rage of my enemies rise up for me to the judgment

You have commanded look at the boldness notice the boldness of this statement

He's crying out to the Lord to arise To lift himself up That term in verse 6 rise up and older translations was awake

David was boldly calling upon God For his support in this manner remembering that God's Word that the

Lord remembering in God's Word that the Lord and the Lord alone is the judge and The repair of sins

In Deuteronomy 32 35 we have Vengeance is mine and the recompense the repayment

Their foot their foot is the wicked ones their foot shall slip and do time for the day of their calamity is at hand and The things to come hasten upon them psalm 94 one says

O Lord God To whom vengeance belong O God to whom vengeance belongs shine forth

David is crying out to God that his judgment and Justice on punishing evil and defending the good would be done now rise up for me to the judgment

You have commanded This is what David is calling for God to do

But David continues So the congregation of the peoples shall surround you for their sakes therefore return on high

David is kind of drawing a picture here. I think that is somewhat like a courtroom We have the accusers

David's enemies as one cush and others Bringing accusations against David we have

David the defendant Standing before the judge we have the Lord the just judge and it seems like we have around them the people and the gallery in the courtroom here

So the congregation of the people shall surround you to hear the judgment that would come from the

Lord And David continues and he says this in verse 8 the Lord shall judge the peoples

David is including His enemies clearly in there judge my enemies who bring these false

Accusation, but also the people some of those in that surrounding congregation with itching ears believed the lying charge against David they were duped by the

Wiles of the wicked ones around them they too Were to be judged

But David also included himself as we continue reading judge me.

Oh Lord According to my righteousness and according to my integrity within me

Sometimes when we read this we may be fooled Into thinking that we have the ability to gin up within us some form of righteousness or some form of integrity

But knowing David David knew very well that the

Lord his God was his righteousness That the Lord his

God was his integrity that any good that was in David came from God and God alone and That is our cry as well, that is where our righteousness and our integrity come from The Lord David trusts that in the

Lord the great judge of the nations that he will judge without Prejudice and that he will judge accurately that he will be able to to give a righteous judgment and That David was willing to trust in that judgment and to rest fully upon that But David continues and he writes this in verse 9.

Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end but establish the just For the righteous

God tests the hearts in mind. What was the judgment that David was looking for? this

That the wickedness of the wicked would come to an end that the the wicked ways of the wicked that the evil deeds of evil men false accusations and the outcome of those false

Accusations the enticing of the people the people themselves with itching ears

To hear bad reports leveled against David and against the Saites that all of that would come to an end

And that God would establish the just That they would all all the wicked deeds would fall away and the just would remain standing

And that's one of the ways that the just they're established all the wicked ways of the wicked will come to an end

But David also call it says that the righteous

God Tests the hearts and minds this word translated tests means investigation

Experimental investigation trying out What is the thoughts and the works of the wicked ones to see where they end out?

It is a thorough testing. It is a strict testing. It is an accurate testing.

It is an intimate testing He tries the hearts Our inward affections

What we really feel but also the minds

What we think not just our actions But our thoughts and our inward affections.

It is thorough and this really should be our trust to That we may be tempted in our day to look around and see the works of the wicked

It seems in our day that the wicked are having a field day That their success is everywhere

And not only that but the wicked are even trying to entice those who should be our friends against us

And that would include fellow Christians those who profess the name of Christ That they are enticed to be against us

We may Think that the wicked ways are everywhere like you know what we may have a picture to our mind like Isaiah 59 19 when it says when the enemy comes in like a flood and we see the flood of the enemy coming in a flood that is threatening to Overwhelm us to sweep away

Everything that the righteous stands for before them. We see the flood coming into the church

We see the flood coming into our families and into our community the flood of immorality the flood of persecution the flood of accusation and the flood of temptation

It all looks overwhelming and it cannot be stopped That is if we were leaning on our own understanding

That's what it would look like But we like David Should turn to God in that Isaiah verse

Says when the enemy of God comes in like a flood that the Spirit of the Lord would rise up a standard against them

Just a brief aside a standard is a flag. It's a banner in ancient warfare it was a melee of violence and It was hard sometimes to distinguish friend from friend from fro in this combat and when somebody wanted to rally the troops they would lift up the banner and the soldiers would see the banner and flock to it and Likeway, we have a banner today

This might call to mind that dime and we read in numbers When the children of Israel had sinned against the

Lord and he had sent against them snakes poisonous snakes to kill them and Moses was

Instructed to lift up a bronze serpent and that everybody that would look upon the serpent serpent would be saved our

Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and John's Gospel said just like They raised the serpent up in the desert.

So shall the Son of Man be raised up The Lord Jesus Christ is our standard

When the enemies come in like a flood we should turn to Christ To focus on him to trust in him

He after all is the one that will come to judge the quick and dead

So when we are unjustly accused We do not take matters into our own hands but rather we trust in him to turn to him for justice for he and he alone is able to just with judge with equity and Justice but we continue and we look here at verse 10.

My defense is of God Who saves the upright and heart this may call to mind a thinking of maybe continuing the courtroom scene?

After all we can give a defense and a poly GIA and in Greek of our faith there but this word that is translated defense means shield or buckler, so this is all the image of the battlefield a buckler is a shield about four feet high and was used as a defensive weapon against stones and arrows and even sword blows up close

The Lord is a shield to us deflecting the fiery arrows of accusation against us

And he saves the upright in heart Well, that would be us his servants the

Saints but he continues in verse 11

God is a just judge and God is angry with the wicked every day as We've heard described already that God is a just judge

But he's also an active judge and we'll read more about that in just a moment

But his nature is always the same He is holy. Holy Holy he cannot abide sin

He has the same opposition to sin today as he has in times past There are many who will say and believe that God's law no longer is binding

That his standard of justice and sin has passed away in the age of grace

Yet God is the same today as He was yesterday and as he will be tomorrow

He still hates sin and He is angry with those who continue to indulge in it regardless of what the billboard out by the highway might say

God is angry with the wicked He is angry every day at with impenitent sinners

He may not make men examples of his wrath immediately

But even when he is silent He is still angry and in his own timing

He will stir up his wrath against him and rebuke them in there in his hot displeasure

But we continue in verse 12 If he does not turn back if he that he this time is the wicked if the wicked does not turn back

He that is the Lord Will sharpen his sword He bends his bow and makes it ready

He also prepares for himself Instruments of death and makes his arrows into fiery shafts turning from the defensive

The Lord is prepared to take the offensive Against his enemies if the enemies of God do not turn back if they do not turn from their wicked ways if they do not cease from pursuing sin the

Lord of hosts will sharpen his sword a Warrior does not sharpen his sword unless he intends to use it

Not only that he is bending his bow For those not familiar with archery when you bend your bow back and you place the shaft on it.

You're intending to let it go The Lord is preparing for battle he is

Preparing to work his judgment out against his enemies He is making ready his weapons of his warfare and preparing flaming arrows

He is ready to make wage war against those who are his enemies and the enemies of his chosen possession and We must remember

That God's arrows never miss the mark They are all instruments of death

Continuing on in verse 14 behold the wicked brings forth iniquity Yes, he conceives trouble and brings forth forth falsehood

David the master poet turns from enough to another image this time of a pregnant woman of a woman giving birth

Sin is conceived enough in the heart and brought forth Sin is when it brings forth sin is iniquity

Sin is conceived by the father of lies Satan and When it is brought forth it is falsehood now

We may think that this is what David is saying about the accusations of kush But I want to remind you that all sin is falsehood

All of it gives an untrue picture of the true nature of things all sin

Gives an inaccurate picture of the things of God they do not reflect what

God Wants and who God is all sin is falsehood and It is deceptive

David says here in verse 15 he that is the wicked has made a pit and dug it out

The workers of iniquity turn to deception. They can't face the righteous face to face

They must set a trap, but when they do

They don't catch what they think they're going to catch for David continues and Has fallen that he made that is the wicked made a pit dug it out and has fallen into the ditch which he made his trouble shall return upon his own head and His violent dealing shall come down on his own crown

Despite their attempts to undermine the righteous The pits dug by the wicked they themselves fall into this is part of the judgment of God he frustrates the plans of the wicked and Returns them upon their own head the traps that they have set for others.

They themselves are ensnared in and it comes upon their own head and Upon their own crown

It's interesting that use of the word crown now. We know that it means the top of our head

But there was one pursuing David at this time who had a crown Saul So perhaps

Saul is in mind here. I Wouldn't go to the stake on it, but it's possible that he was referring

Regardless what David is trying to say what the wicked have prepared for others.

They are really preparing for themselves And he trusts in the

Lord that they he would deliver That the Lord would deliver his judgment and his justice with equity

That he would be our shield and our buckler. He would be our Avenger.

He would be our mighty fortress And how does David respond? well for 17,

I Will praise the Lord According to his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the

Lord Most High. I Think there are two ways to look at this One way is where David has made his case before the

Lord He has brought before them my enemies are out to get me. They are cruel and inhuman

But I am innocent of these charges I call upon the Lord to execute judgment and the

Lord has done so Where he that there were

David is actually delivered in that right now in the context of history. We know that he was delivered

But I believe the other way to look at this may be more accurate That David brought the case before him.

These people are charging me falsely That I am innocent of the charges and I know that you will judge and then he praises

God Because he trusts in the Lord He doesn't need to wait to see if God would actually render judgment that he could see

He knows Even if he doesn't see it God will do it and that's what

I think he means By bound up Oh Lord my God and You I put my trust and when we put our trust in Almighty God and notice what he says here the

Lord Most High Oftentimes we read these words and We are so familiar to us.

We don't even think twice about it But what God is what

David is saying here or what the Holy Spirit said through David here is Lord LORD all capitals.

We all know that that's the covenant name of God Yahweh Most High is the word

Elyon Which Underscores the sovereignty of God over his creation

Basically, he's saying that he's going to praise the name of the covenant -keeping

God who is sovereign over Everything and Can be trusted to work all things for good for those who are called according to his purpose and that is a fit subject for our praise and That we should emulate our brother

David in this When the enemies come in like a flood and we turn our eyes upon Jesus that then right then and there we can praise him for what he will do

And We should do so with singing For David himself says here and I will sing praise

Remember that verse we looked at it from James 5. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing songs.

I don't know if James had this particular song in mind But if he did we would agree that this is a fit song to sing in the praise of God For the one who will defend this people

Amen, well, let us pray our gracious God and Father We thank you.

Oh Lord that you have given us your word That it is exactly what your servant

Paul said that is sufficient For equipping the man of God to give him all that he needs to live a godly life in Christ Jesus We thank you for the godly example of your servants in times past like David who not only tells us what we should do, but gives us a demonstration of it and father if we in Examining ourselves

We would have to admit That we may not always respond the way that David does

That we often lean on our own understanding more than we put our trust fully in you

And therefore we ask for the grace to do that We ask for the grace to put our trust fully in you

That you would help us to see the glory of Putting our trust in you knowing that you are our mighty fortress our

Redeemer our friend our God and That you are indeed the

Lord most high And we ask these things and more also in the name of Christ Jesus our

Lord Amen Well, let us continue our worship through the presentation of our tithes and offerings

Please stand and let us pray our gracious God and father the father of lights

The giver of every good and perfect gift We thank you father that you have given us so much

If we were to count the blessings that you have given us even this very day We may have enough to keep us busy for all eternity

But you have given us more Than we are even aware of And we are thankful that we have a part time in our worship that we may render back a portion of what you have given us

For the service of this local congregation and more broadly speaking the church

We pray for those to whom have charge over these funds That they would use them

Justly and righteously being good stewards of the blessings as we have been good stewards and rendering it that they would be good stewards and Using it and we ask these things in the name of Christ Jesus our

Lord Amen Let us glorify our great

God in the singing of the Gloria The Lord be with you lift up your hearts

Lord let us give. Thanks to the Lord. It is right and a good and joyful thing

That we should at all times and in all places Give thanks to you.

Oh, holy Lord father almighty everlasting God because you sent your beloved son to redeem us from sin and death and to make us heirs in him of everlasting life

That when he shall come again in power and great triumph to judge the world

We may without shame or fear Rejoice to behold is appearing therefore with Angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we praise and magnify your glorious name evermore praising you and singing

Oh You may be seated let us pray

Almighty God You are the creator and Lord of all things

You are the sovereign majesty whom we have offended You are our most loving and merciful father who has given your son to reconcile us to yourself

Who has ratified the New Testament in covenant of grace with his most precious blood and Has instituted this holy sacrament

Sacrament to be celebrated in remembrance of him till his coming again sanctify these creatures of bread and wine which according to your institution in command

We set apart to this holy use That they may be sacramentally the body and blood of the

Son Jesus Christ our Lord Amen The Apostle Paul in his letter to the

Corinthians was giving instruction concerning The celebration of the

Lord's Supper and in that he said that in the night in which the Lord was betrayed And when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to his disciples saying

Take eat This is my body which is broken for you

Likewise after supper. He took the cup And when he had given thanks he gave it to them saying drink this all of you

This is the new covenant in my blood As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup you proclaim the

Lord's death until he comes Therefore we proclaim the faith

Christ has died Christ is risen Christ will come again as we have been reminded and throughout the worship service of The great benefits we have received from our

Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Not only to be as covenant people but to come in today and worship

With great boldness entering into the throne room grace Let's remember with great humility

What we come now to pray That it wouldn't be wrote to us that these words would be fresh to you today in a way that maybe you haven't seen in some time

Let us pray We do not presume to come to this your table.

Oh merciful Lord trusting in our own righteousness But in your manifold in great mercies

We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under your table

But you are the same Lord always shows mercy Grant us therefore

Gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of your dear son Jesus Christ and the drink of his blood

That our sinful bodies may be cleaned by his body and our souls washed through his most precious blood

And that we may evermore dwell in him and he and us

Amen Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us the gifts of God for the people of God Oh Oh Let us make this commitment together

All Mighty and ever -living God We thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious body and blood your son our

Savior Jesus Christ and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the body of your son and Heirs of your eternal kingdom and O Lord grant us this other benefit

That you will never allow us to forget these things But having them imprinted on our hearts may we grow and increase daily and the faith

Which is at work in every good deed and now father send us out to do the work you have given us to do

To him to you and to the Holy Spirit the honor and glory now and forever

Amen, please stand Praise God sings flow

Praise him all creatures here Praise him now the blessing from the

Lord the Lord bless you and keep you The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you the