Weekly Sermon

Psalm 119:17-24 reads, “Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.  Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.  I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.  My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.  Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.  Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies.  Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.  Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.”

The theme of Psalm 119 as a whole is – The desire of the Lord’s suffering servant to seek the Lord through His holy Word.  In verse 17 this servant of the Lord sought the Lord in prayer, saying, “Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.”  Herein the psalmist, this servant of the Lord, expressed his desire to walk aright with the Lord his God – to live a godly life of obedience unto God’s Word.  Yet herein the psalmist, this servant of the Lord, also expressed his understanding of his need for the Lord to help him so that he might walk aright – to deal bountifully with him so that he might live a godly life.  Even so, we also should maintain a desire to walk aright with our Lord; and we should make request daily that our Lord might help us to walk aright.  In Psalm 119:17 we find four ingredients to this request by the Lord’s servant.

Weekly Sermon

Psalm 119:12 reads, “Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.”

Throughout Psalm 119 we encounter four primary themes.  First, we encounter the theme concerning God’s Word as the perfect guide for life.  Second, we encounter the theme concerning God’s servant in his right relationship with God’s Word.  Third, we encounter the theme concerning God’s servant in his desire to walk with the Lord through God’s truth.  Finally, we encounter the theme concerning God’s servant in his suffering for the Lord’s sake.  Thus the theme of Psalm 119 as a whole might be viewed as – The desire of the Lord’s suffering servant to seek the Lord through His Holy Word.

Yet why did the Lord’s suffering servant have such a driving desire to seek the Lord through His Word?  Why did he exclaim in verse 5, “O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!”  Why did he make searching request in the opening portion of verse 9, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?”  Why did he express the burden of his heart in the opening portion of verse 10, saying, “With my whole heart have I sought thee”?  The answer is to be found in the opening portion of verse 12, wherein this young servant of the Lord proclaimed, “Blessed art thou, O LORD.”  This young servant of the Lord was motivated to seek the Lord with all his heart through God’s Word because he was convinced with full assurance of faith that the Lord was abundantly worthy of his love, trust, submission, and service.  

In fact, throughout this psalm the psalmist gives notice to seven characteristics by which he was convinced that the Lord was so abundantly worthy, and by which he was moved to proclaim, “Blessed art thou, O LORD.”

Thought for Meditation

The Lord our God will not deliver us He would or use us as He could,
until we humble ourselves before Him as we should.

Outlines in Psalms

 I.  The Violent Character of Wicked Persecutors (Psalm 140:2-5)
II.  The Lord’s Curse upon Wicked Persecutors (Psalm 140:8-12)

Thought for Meditation

The Lord our God will not pour out His grace upon us
to deliver us as He would or to use us as He could,
until we humble ourselves before Him as we should.

Outlines in Psalms

Psalm 143 contains twelve verses and is divided directly in half by the “Selah” at the end of verse 6.  Each half of this psalm begins with a request by the Lord’s servant David for the Lord to hear him.  Psalm 143:1 begins with the request, “Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications.”  In like manner, Psalm 143:7 begins with the request, “Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth.” 

The six verses of the first half of this psalm may be divided into three parts, each part containing two verses.  Within each of these two-verse parts of this first half of the psalm, we find three points presented.  Even so, the outline for this first half of the psalm may be found at the following link:  O Lord, Give Ear to My Supplications - Psalm 143:1-6. 

However, the six verses of the second half of this psalm are presented in a different form.  Herein we find a series of requests, and with each request we find a reason why that request might be answered.

Weekly Sermon

This sermon is a companion to five previous sermons:
                Blessed Be the Most High God - Genesis 14:19-20    
                The Most High Ruleth - Daniel 4:32    
                The Most High Uttereth His Voice - 2 Samuel 22:14    
                Sing Praise to the Name of the Lord Most High - Psalm 7:17    
                Dwelling in the Secret Place of the Most High - Psalm 91:1    

Psalm 77:10-12 reads, “And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.  I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.  I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.”

In Psalm 77:1 the psalmist Asaph presented a summary for the entire psalm, saying, “I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.”  Yet the opening portion of this psalm (encompassing Psalm 77:2-8) does not present a scenario in which Asaph had a positive attitude toward the Lord.  The context and circumstance in which Asaph wrote this psalm was one of great trouble.  Even so, in Psalm 77:2-4 he stated, “In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.  I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.  Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.” 

Now, in the midst of this great trouble, Asaph did remember the Lord his God.  Yet at first his remembrance of God did not bring him to a place of comfort, but to a place of complaint.  Again in Psalm 77:2-3 he stated, “In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.  I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.”  At the first Asaph’s prayer to God and remembrance of God brought him to doubt and question God’s loving care.  At the first he was not comforted or encouraged in the Lord his God.  Rather, at the first he complained against the Lord for allowing such trouble in his life and for not removing it more quickly from his life.  Even so, in Psalm 77:5-9 Asaph expressed his complaint against God, saying, “I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.  I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.  Will the Lord cast off for ever?  And will he be favourable no more?  Is his mercy clean gone for ever?  Doth his promise fail for evermore?  Hath God forgotten to be gracious?  Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.”  Indeed, at the first Asaph doubted and questioned the loving kindness of God, and the goodness of God, and the everlasting mercy of God, and the faithfulness of God, and the abundant grace of God, and the tenderness of God.  At the first Asaph, in the midst of his great trouble, had a negative attitude of complaint against the Lord his God.

Yet in the opening line of Psalm 77:10, Asaph confessed his wrong attitude, saying, “And I said, This is my infirmity.”  He acknowledged and confessed that his negative attitude of complaint against the Lord his God was his infirmity, his wrong doing, his sinful iniquity.  Even so, with this confession Asaph began the process of correction and change in his attitude toward the Lord his God.  With this confession Asaph turned the focus of his heart away from his troubles and away from his complaint against God for those troubles.  With this confession Asaph turned the focus of his heart toward God’s past faithfulness and toward God’s faithful character as demonstrated by His past faithfulness.  In Psalm 77:10-12 he declared, “And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.  I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.  I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.”  Having confessed his sinful attitude of complaint against the Lord his God, Asaph committed himself to enter into a three-step process for correcting and changing his attitude toward the Lord his God.  First, he committed himself to remember the faithfulness of the Lord.  Second, he committed himself to meditate upon the faithfulness of the Lord.  Third, he committed himself to testify unto the faithfulness of the Lord.  He committed himself to remember, to meditate, and to testify.

Yet upon what specific works and characteristics of the Lord his God did Asaph focus his remembrance, meditation, and testifying?  Yea, upon what specific works and characteristics of the Lord our God should we focus our hearts in our times of trouble, in order that we might have an attitude of comfort and encouragement in our Lord, rather than an attitude of doubt and complaint against our Lord?  What specific works and characteristics of the Lord our God should we remember, meditate upon, and testify unto, as we consider “the years of the right hand” of the Lord our God, the most high God?  The answer is to be found in the closing portion of Psalm 77, in Psalm 77:13-20.

Weekly Sermon

This sermon is a companion to two previous sermons:  Blessed Be the Most High God - Genesis 14:19-20    
                                                                                       The Most High Ruleth - Daniel 4:32    

2 Samuel 22:14 reads, “The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice.”  The Lord our God as the most high God does indeed utter His voice in this world.  He does indeed involve Himself in the affairs of this world.  Yea, the Lord our God as the most high God does indeed move and work in the midst of our lives.  Even so, through a study within the book of the Psalms, let us consider seven characteristics of the Lord our God, the most high God, specifically in His relationship to His people and to this world.

Outlines in Psalms

Praise the Lord as Our Enabler.

     Psalm 144:1a – “Blessed be the LORD my strength.”

     Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

1.  For His Personal Guidance

     Psalm 144:1b – “Which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight.”

2.  For His Helpful Goodness

     Psalm 144:2a – “My goodness, and my fortress.”

3.  For His Almighty Deliverance

     Psalm 144:2b – “My high tower, and my deliverer.”

4.  For His Trustworthy Protection

     Psalm 144:2c – “My shield, and he in whom I trust.”

5.  For His Victorious Grace

     Psalm 144:2d – “Who subdueth my people under me."

Posted in Outlines in Psalms, Praising Our Lord, Spiritual Enablement, Lovingkindness of the Lord, 
Deliverance of Our Lord, Faithfulness of Our Lord, Refuge of the Lord

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Outlines in Psalms

A Psalm of David.

   I.  The Praise of the Lord for His Enablement (Psalm 144:1-2)
  II.  The Place of Man in Himself (Psalm 144:3-4)
 III.  The Prayer to the Lord for His Deliverance (Psalm 144:5-8)
IV.  The Praise of the Lord for His Deliverance (Psalm 144:9-10)
 V.  The Prayer to the Lord for His Blessing (Psalm 144:11-14)
VI.  The Peace of Those with the Lord (Psalm 144:15)

Outlines in Psalms

To Whom Is the Lord Nigh?

1.  To Those Who Trust Him

     Psalm 145:18 – “The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.”

2.  To Those Who Fear Him

     Psalm 145:19a – “He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him.”

3.  To Those Who Love Him

     Psalm 145:20a – “The LORD preserveth all them that love him.”

In What Manner Is the Lord Nigh?

1.  In His Fellowship

     Psalm 145:18a – “The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him.”

2.  In His Favor

     Psalm 145:19a – “He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him.”

3.  In His Deliverance

     Psalm 145:19b – “He also will hear their cry, and will save them.”

4.  In His Preservation

     Psalm 145:20a – “The LORD preserveth all them that love him.”

Posted in Outlines in Psalms, Trust in God, Fear of the Lord, Godly Love, Fellowship with the Lord, Blessing of the Lord, Deliverance of Our Lord, Refuge of the Lord

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Meditations in Jeremiah

This meditation is a companion to a previous meditation:  A Provocation of Mine Anger - Jeremiah 32:26-35    

Jeremiah 32:42-44 – “For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them.  And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans. Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return, saith the LORD.”

Outlines in Psalms

“Praise ye the LORD.”

 I.  Let the Saints Praise the Lord for His gracious salvation. (Psalm 149:1-4)
II.  Let the Saints Praise the Lord for His victorious empowerment. (Psalm 149:5-9)

“Praise ye the LORD.”

Meditations in Exodus

In Exodus 3:16-17 the Lord God instructed Moses to go unto and gather together the elders of Israel and to deliver the Lord’s message of deliverance unto them.  Then in the opening line of Exodus 3:18, the Lord God declared, “And they shall hearken to thy voice.”  Yet in Exodus 4:1 Moses questioned the Lord God on this matter – “And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.”  In response the Lord God provided Moses with a series of miraculous signs, with the purpose “that they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.” (Exodus 4:5)  Even so, we are taught through these miraculous signs of our Lord God’s sovereign power over the matters of our lives.

Outlines in Psalms

Psalm 74 can be divided into three divisions:
              I.  The Complaint of a Troubled Heart (Psalm 74:1-11)
             II.  The Turning Point of a Confident Faith (Psalm 74:12-17)
            III.  The Cry of a Trusting Heart (Psalm 74:18-23)

Under the third division, we find a four-fold request in the cry of a trusting heart. 

(Indeed, this request and cry is first engaged in verse 2, but is quickly eclipsed by the spirit of trouble and com-plaint.  Yet with the return unto the spirit of trust and confidence, it is reengaged in verses 18-23.  Throughout, the central request is for the Lord to remember; for three times the psalmist asks for the Lord to remember (in verses 2, 18, 22), and two times he asks for the Lord to forget not (in verses 19, 23).  Yea, all of this surrounds the request in verse 20 for the Lord to have respect (be faithful) unto His own covenant with his chosen congre-gation.  In addition, the psalmist presents his request in a manner that is intended to be personal for the Lord.)