1 00:00:01,679 --> 00:00:03,839 Well, please remain standing for the reading of 2 00:00:03,839 --> 00:00:06,339 god's word, which comes from Psalm 5. 3 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:09,779 Hear now the word of the living god. 4 00:00:10,559 --> 00:00:11,859 To the choir master, 5 00:00:12,240 --> 00:00:13,139 for the flutes, 6 00:00:13,679 --> 00:00:15,139 a psalm of David. 7 00:00:16,184 --> 00:00:18,684 Give ear to my words, oh lord. 8 00:00:19,704 --> 00:00:21,004 Consider my groaning. 9 00:00:22,344 --> 00:00:24,765 Give attention to the sound of my cry. 10 00:00:25,625 --> 00:00:27,544 My king and my god, for to you 11 00:00:27,544 --> 00:00:28,524 do I pray. 12 00:00:29,399 --> 00:00:30,059 Oh, lord. 13 00:00:30,679 --> 00:00:33,020 In the morning, you hear my voice. 14 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:36,280 In the morning, I prepare a sacrifice for 15 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:37,259 you and watch 16 00:00:38,359 --> 00:00:40,299 for you are not a god 17 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:42,460 who delights in wickedness. 18 00:00:43,635 --> 00:00:45,655 Evil may not dwell with you. 19 00:00:46,274 --> 00:00:49,174 The boastful shall not stand before your eyes. 20 00:00:49,795 --> 00:00:51,174 You hate all evildoers. 21 00:00:51,954 --> 00:00:54,054 You destroy those who speak lies. 22 00:00:55,075 --> 00:00:56,375 The lord abhors 23 00:00:57,189 --> 00:00:57,929 the bloodthirsty 24 00:00:58,390 --> 00:01:00,090 and the deceitful man. 25 00:01:01,269 --> 00:01:02,009 But I, 26 00:01:02,469 --> 00:01:05,590 through the abundance of your steadfast love, will 27 00:01:05,590 --> 00:01:06,650 enter your house. 28 00:01:07,109 --> 00:01:08,329 I will bow down 29 00:01:08,790 --> 00:01:09,849 toward your temple 30 00:01:10,390 --> 00:01:11,689 in the fear of you. 31 00:01:12,814 --> 00:01:14,594 Lead me, oh lord, in your righteousness 32 00:01:15,134 --> 00:01:16,354 because of my enemies. 33 00:01:16,974 --> 00:01:18,754 Make your way straight before me. 34 00:01:19,454 --> 00:01:21,394 For there is no truth in their mouth. 35 00:01:21,935 --> 00:01:22,674 Their innermost 36 00:01:23,454 --> 00:01:25,314 their innermost self is 37 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:26,340 destruction. 38 00:01:26,719 --> 00:01:28,579 Their throat is an open grave. 39 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:30,819 They flatter with their tongue. 40 00:01:31,439 --> 00:01:34,340 Make them bear their guilt, oh God. 41 00:01:35,439 --> 00:01:37,459 Let them fall by their own counsels. 42 00:01:38,935 --> 00:01:41,275 Because of the abundance of their transgressions, 43 00:01:42,055 --> 00:01:45,034 cast them out for they have rebelled against 44 00:01:45,174 --> 00:01:45,674 you. 45 00:01:47,254 --> 00:01:49,575 But let all who take refuge in you 46 00:01:49,575 --> 00:01:50,075 rejoice. 47 00:01:51,130 --> 00:01:52,990 Let them ever sing for joy. 48 00:01:53,530 --> 00:01:55,549 And spread your protection over them. 49 00:01:55,930 --> 00:01:57,310 That those who love 50 00:01:57,689 --> 00:02:00,430 your name may exalt in you. 51 00:02:01,210 --> 00:02:03,609 For you bless the righteous, oh lord. You 52 00:02:03,609 --> 00:02:04,170 cover them 53 00:02:04,734 --> 00:02:06,034 cover him with favor 54 00:02:06,414 --> 00:02:08,194 as with a shield. 55 00:02:08,814 --> 00:02:10,354 This is the word of the lord. 56 00:02:10,974 --> 00:02:13,235 Thanks be to God. You may be seated. 57 00:02:24,379 --> 00:02:26,939 Well, last week, we looked at Psalm 4, 58 00:02:26,939 --> 00:02:28,960 which was a prayer of lament. 59 00:02:29,419 --> 00:02:32,400 A prayer of lament. In Psalm 4, 60 00:02:33,715 --> 00:02:34,215 David 61 00:02:34,594 --> 00:02:36,375 is crying out to god, 62 00:02:37,235 --> 00:02:39,955 pleading with him to bring relief to his 63 00:02:39,955 --> 00:02:40,455 long 64 00:02:40,754 --> 00:02:41,254 season 65 00:02:41,715 --> 00:02:42,534 of suffering. 66 00:02:43,794 --> 00:02:45,955 And the reason I mentioned Psalm 4 is 67 00:02:45,955 --> 00:02:48,055 because Psalm 5 and Psalm 4 68 00:02:48,569 --> 00:02:49,310 are similar 69 00:02:50,009 --> 00:02:50,509 in 70 00:02:50,889 --> 00:02:51,389 many 71 00:02:51,689 --> 00:02:53,069 ways. For example, 72 00:02:53,849 --> 00:02:56,349 look at the original title of Psalm 5, 73 00:02:56,889 --> 00:02:58,650 which just could be found right above verse 74 00:02:58,650 --> 00:03:00,569 1. It's very similar to Psalm 4. It 75 00:03:00,569 --> 00:03:03,284 reads, to the choir master for the flutes, 76 00:03:03,824 --> 00:03:05,444 a Psalm of David. 77 00:03:05,824 --> 00:03:08,544 Now like Psalm 4, Psalm 5 is another 78 00:03:08,544 --> 00:03:09,525 prayer of lament. 79 00:03:09,905 --> 00:03:12,064 It's a prayer that is set to music 80 00:03:12,064 --> 00:03:13,364 for the nation of Israel 81 00:03:14,830 --> 00:03:17,229 to sing in their corporate, familial, and also 82 00:03:17,229 --> 00:03:17,729 individual 83 00:03:18,030 --> 00:03:18,530 worship 84 00:03:18,830 --> 00:03:20,930 of God. This is a praise song. 85 00:03:22,110 --> 00:03:24,669 In addition, like Psalm 4, Psalm 5 was 86 00:03:24,669 --> 00:03:28,175 prayed in a particular time of the day. 87 00:03:28,235 --> 00:03:30,335 Psalm 4, if you remember, was prayed 88 00:03:30,635 --> 00:03:31,534 in the evening. 89 00:03:32,235 --> 00:03:34,555 Well, Psalm 5 was prayed in the morning. 90 00:03:34,555 --> 00:03:36,395 Psalm 5 is a is a not only 91 00:03:36,395 --> 00:03:38,474 a song of praise, but it's also a 92 00:03:38,474 --> 00:03:38,974 prayer. 93 00:03:39,754 --> 00:03:42,655 And Psalm 4 and Psalm 5 also share 94 00:03:43,299 --> 00:03:45,139 one thing together which is that its author 95 00:03:45,139 --> 00:03:46,120 is King David. 96 00:03:46,819 --> 00:03:49,699 It's the attribution of authorship is to King 97 00:03:49,699 --> 00:03:52,919 David. And lastly, like Psalm 4, Psalm 5 98 00:03:53,459 --> 00:03:56,759 equips God's people both generally and specifically 99 00:03:57,754 --> 00:03:59,694 about how to deal with the troubles 100 00:03:59,995 --> 00:04:03,194 of life. Psalm 4 and Psalm 5 teach 101 00:04:03,194 --> 00:04:03,694 us 102 00:04:03,995 --> 00:04:05,935 how to pray in the chaos of life. 103 00:04:06,474 --> 00:04:09,194 Psalm 4 and 5 teach us not only 104 00:04:09,194 --> 00:04:11,534 how to pray, but also what to pray 105 00:04:11,834 --> 00:04:12,974 in the chaos 106 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:15,120 of life. So we're gonna be looking at 107 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:16,899 prayer once again this morning. 108 00:04:17,199 --> 00:04:19,379 And so, by way of introduction, let us 109 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:20,100 read 110 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:22,899 together verses 1 through 2. 111 00:04:23,439 --> 00:04:24,339 David writes, 112 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:26,180 give ear to my words, 113 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:29,024 oh Lord. Consider my groaning. 114 00:04:29,724 --> 00:04:31,904 Give attention to the sound of my cry, 115 00:04:32,444 --> 00:04:34,125 my king and my God, for to you 116 00:04:34,125 --> 00:04:35,104 do I pray. 117 00:04:35,805 --> 00:04:38,685 Oh, Lord, in the morning you hear my 118 00:04:38,685 --> 00:04:41,264 voice. In the morning I prepare a sacrifice 119 00:04:41,324 --> 00:04:42,944 for you and watch. 120 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:45,879 Now, once again, very very much like Psalm 121 00:04:45,879 --> 00:04:46,379 4, 122 00:04:46,759 --> 00:04:48,699 David teaches that the righteous 123 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:50,220 respond 124 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:52,680 to the to the day of tribulation in 125 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:56,060 their life with prayer. And, what is prayer? 126 00:04:56,475 --> 00:04:59,115 Well, as the Westminster Shorter Catechism would define, 127 00:04:59,115 --> 00:05:01,134 it is an offering up of our desires 128 00:05:01,194 --> 00:05:01,855 to God 129 00:05:02,235 --> 00:05:03,455 in the name of Christ. 130 00:05:04,555 --> 00:05:06,714 Anything that is according with his will and 131 00:05:06,714 --> 00:05:07,694 with his purposes. 132 00:05:08,154 --> 00:05:09,915 And, right here in verse 1 in Psalm 133 00:05:09,915 --> 00:05:12,500 5, we really see how David prays. And 134 00:05:12,500 --> 00:05:14,899 by way of example, we can learn much 135 00:05:14,899 --> 00:05:15,560 from this. 136 00:05:16,259 --> 00:05:18,120 First is that prayer is audible. 137 00:05:18,819 --> 00:05:20,019 If you look at the text with me, 138 00:05:20,019 --> 00:05:22,100 David does not say, give ear to my 139 00:05:22,100 --> 00:05:22,600 intentions 140 00:05:23,379 --> 00:05:25,895 or give ear to my feelings or you 141 00:05:25,895 --> 00:05:27,814 give ear to my desires. Rather, he is 142 00:05:27,814 --> 00:05:29,115 saying, give ear to 143 00:05:29,495 --> 00:05:30,314 my words. 144 00:05:31,654 --> 00:05:33,814 Now, it's not to say that we can't 145 00:05:33,814 --> 00:05:36,535 pray to God in silence. We see Hannah 146 00:05:36,535 --> 00:05:38,775 do this in 1 Samuel chapter 1 when 147 00:05:38,775 --> 00:05:41,580 she's in grief and mourning, and she's praying 148 00:05:41,580 --> 00:05:44,139 internally, and, the priest could see her lips 149 00:05:44,139 --> 00:05:44,639 move. 150 00:05:45,259 --> 00:05:46,699 So I'm not saying that, nor am I 151 00:05:46,699 --> 00:05:49,279 saying that if you don't pray with words 152 00:05:49,500 --> 00:05:51,680 aloud, that the Lord does not hear you. 153 00:05:52,795 --> 00:05:54,555 What I am saying is that a biblical 154 00:05:54,555 --> 00:05:57,115 form of prayer is one that is audible. 155 00:05:57,115 --> 00:05:58,415 It is one with 156 00:05:58,795 --> 00:05:59,295 words. 157 00:05:59,834 --> 00:06:02,495 And, like many pastors and theologians have said, 158 00:06:02,794 --> 00:06:04,735 praying audibly with words 159 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:07,959 is only biblical, but it's also practical. When 160 00:06:07,959 --> 00:06:09,660 we pray out loud, 161 00:06:10,519 --> 00:06:12,920 we are far less likely to wander off 162 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:13,899 in our thoughts. 163 00:06:14,519 --> 00:06:16,439 I don't know if I I can attest 164 00:06:16,439 --> 00:06:18,199 to this, but many times when I'm praying 165 00:06:18,199 --> 00:06:19,720 in silence, whether it be in the in 166 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:21,754 the shower or if it's in the on 167 00:06:21,754 --> 00:06:24,254 the car ride back home or to work, 168 00:06:24,555 --> 00:06:26,634 I begin to pray and literally within a 169 00:06:26,634 --> 00:06:28,074 second or 2, my mind is like in 170 00:06:28,074 --> 00:06:29,055 a different universe. 171 00:06:29,995 --> 00:06:32,475 And so praying with words is practical, and 172 00:06:32,475 --> 00:06:34,634 that it really helps us focus. We want 173 00:06:34,634 --> 00:06:36,000 to pray with words 174 00:06:36,639 --> 00:06:37,620 when we can. 175 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:41,360 Second, praying with words is also a way 176 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:43,600 in which we express our emotions to the 177 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:44,100 Lord. 178 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:45,620 We are creatures, 179 00:06:46,399 --> 00:06:48,879 that speak. God designed us this way, and 180 00:06:48,879 --> 00:06:49,860 it's for a reason. 181 00:06:50,634 --> 00:06:52,954 We have all watched movies when a man 182 00:06:52,954 --> 00:06:53,694 and a woman 183 00:06:54,074 --> 00:06:56,314 are deeply in love with it, deeply in 184 00:06:56,314 --> 00:06:58,814 love with one another, and it's fairly obvious. 185 00:06:58,875 --> 00:07:00,814 And, you can sort of see the tension 186 00:07:01,034 --> 00:07:02,714 that they wanna say the 3 big words, 187 00:07:02,714 --> 00:07:04,579 which is I love you. And, you know, 188 00:07:04,579 --> 00:07:06,180 the man wants to say it. The woman 189 00:07:06,180 --> 00:07:07,939 wants to hear it. And, there's sort of 190 00:07:07,939 --> 00:07:10,019 this built up of excitement to that moment. 191 00:07:10,019 --> 00:07:12,180 There's also this awkwardness of, okay, well, if 192 00:07:12,180 --> 00:07:14,120 I say it, is it gonna be reciprocated 193 00:07:14,339 --> 00:07:15,159 back to me? 194 00:07:16,194 --> 00:07:17,875 However, often in movies, you'll see once it's 195 00:07:17,875 --> 00:07:20,115 said, right, there's this sort of release. There's 196 00:07:20,115 --> 00:07:22,834 this joy that comes forward. And I think 197 00:07:22,834 --> 00:07:23,975 in prayer that 198 00:07:24,595 --> 00:07:25,975 the the the same sort of principle 199 00:07:26,355 --> 00:07:28,675 is there when we speak with words. We 200 00:07:28,675 --> 00:07:31,095 more effectively pour ourselves out 201 00:07:31,620 --> 00:07:33,639 on the Lord when we pray with words. 202 00:07:34,100 --> 00:07:36,980 We are designed to communicate the spoken word, 203 00:07:36,980 --> 00:07:38,580 and it is the way that God designed 204 00:07:38,580 --> 00:07:41,400 us. And therefore, it should be a primary 205 00:07:41,460 --> 00:07:44,100 way in which we communicate to him. Pray 206 00:07:44,100 --> 00:07:44,600 audibly 207 00:07:44,900 --> 00:07:46,120 with words. 208 00:07:47,194 --> 00:07:48,954 We also learn, look with me at verse 209 00:07:48,954 --> 00:07:51,375 1, that even our groanings are prayer. 210 00:07:51,914 --> 00:07:54,794 Even our groanings are prayer. David says, consider 211 00:07:54,794 --> 00:07:55,454 my groanings. 212 00:07:56,794 --> 00:07:59,134 There are times in the Christian life 213 00:07:59,639 --> 00:08:02,300 when we won't have words to pray. 214 00:08:02,759 --> 00:08:03,980 We remain speechless 215 00:08:04,600 --> 00:08:06,699 because of maybe some excitement, 216 00:08:07,319 --> 00:08:10,120 or maybe we are found without words because 217 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:10,779 of tremendous 218 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:13,240 sorrow. And there are times where really the 219 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:15,694 best prayer that we have is just, 220 00:08:16,394 --> 00:08:17,055 oh, Lord, 221 00:08:17,834 --> 00:08:18,334 please. 222 00:08:20,394 --> 00:08:22,235 Or we could take comfort that the Lord 223 00:08:22,235 --> 00:08:22,735 knows 224 00:08:23,274 --> 00:08:24,014 what that 225 00:08:25,115 --> 00:08:25,615 means. 226 00:08:27,389 --> 00:08:29,410 Paul tells us in Romans chapter 8 227 00:08:29,790 --> 00:08:32,050 verse 26. Listen to this. He writes, 228 00:08:32,429 --> 00:08:34,049 likewise, the Holy Spirit 229 00:08:34,590 --> 00:08:35,970 helps us in our weakness, 230 00:08:36,670 --> 00:08:37,970 for we do not know 231 00:08:38,509 --> 00:08:40,690 what to pray for as we ought. 232 00:08:41,764 --> 00:08:45,605 But the spirit himself intercedes for us with 233 00:08:45,605 --> 00:08:46,105 groanings 234 00:08:46,884 --> 00:08:49,684 too deep for words. That is a wonderful 235 00:08:49,684 --> 00:08:51,205 comfort to the Christian, that even when we 236 00:08:51,205 --> 00:08:53,285 don't have words, that God is able to, 237 00:08:53,684 --> 00:08:54,960 decode it, so to speak. 238 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:58,240 On most of our phones, whenever we write 239 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:00,100 and send a text message to somebody, 240 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:02,800 it is sent. It is encrypted, meaning that 241 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:04,399 it is coded up. If any if it 242 00:09:04,399 --> 00:09:05,139 is intercepted, 243 00:09:05,519 --> 00:09:07,200 it looks like a bunch of symbols in 244 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:09,254 code. But once it gets, 245 00:09:09,654 --> 00:09:10,394 once it 246 00:09:10,934 --> 00:09:13,095 arrives to the recipient, it unlocks and you're 247 00:09:13,095 --> 00:09:15,335 able to read the plain text. Well, in 248 00:09:15,335 --> 00:09:18,475 a very similar, but really more powerful way, 249 00:09:19,254 --> 00:09:20,154 this is how 250 00:09:20,534 --> 00:09:22,715 praying to the Lord, even in our groans, 251 00:09:22,774 --> 00:09:23,274 works. 252 00:09:23,669 --> 00:09:26,389 The Lord can decode the groaning of our 253 00:09:26,389 --> 00:09:28,789 life, even when they are sent to him 254 00:09:28,789 --> 00:09:29,529 in incoherency 255 00:09:30,389 --> 00:09:31,690 and in our weakness. 256 00:09:33,190 --> 00:09:35,769 That our feeble groans can be an effectual 257 00:09:35,909 --> 00:09:37,690 prayer is a grace from God. 258 00:09:38,384 --> 00:09:40,545 That our groans can be an effectual prayer 259 00:09:40,545 --> 00:09:42,945 is a grace from God. And I think 260 00:09:42,945 --> 00:09:45,024 that's, once again, a wonderful comfort. I think 261 00:09:45,024 --> 00:09:46,785 sometimes in our prayer life, we think that 262 00:09:46,785 --> 00:09:48,644 our prayers have to be long and lofty, 263 00:09:48,785 --> 00:09:50,705 almost sounding like a Puritan in order for 264 00:09:50,705 --> 00:09:53,039 God to accept them and hear them and 265 00:09:53,660 --> 00:09:55,660 and and and and answer them. Well, that 266 00:09:55,660 --> 00:09:58,059 is not true. I think Charles Spurgeon is 267 00:09:58,059 --> 00:10:00,299 helpful when he wrote in his book, The 268 00:10:00,299 --> 00:10:02,220 Power of Prayer in the Believer's Life. He 269 00:10:02,220 --> 00:10:02,720 wrote, 270 00:10:04,059 --> 00:10:06,080 some brethren pray by the yard, 271 00:10:06,584 --> 00:10:09,004 but true prayer is measured by the weight, 272 00:10:10,024 --> 00:10:11,084 not by the length. 273 00:10:12,345 --> 00:10:14,845 A single groan before God 274 00:10:15,544 --> 00:10:18,664 may have more fullness of prayer in it 275 00:10:18,664 --> 00:10:21,804 than a fine oration of great length. 276 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:24,480 Dear Christian, have peace that even in our 277 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:24,980 groanings, 278 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:27,700 the Lord can interpret what that is. 279 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:30,179 Next, David says that the Lord knows 280 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:32,100 the sound of our cry. 281 00:10:33,759 --> 00:10:35,759 He writes, give attention to the sound of 282 00:10:35,759 --> 00:10:38,274 my cry in verse 2. And I'm always 283 00:10:38,274 --> 00:10:39,095 blown away 284 00:10:39,795 --> 00:10:41,654 when I read about how mothers 285 00:10:42,434 --> 00:10:44,455 can listen to the cry of their infants. 286 00:10:45,075 --> 00:10:47,554 And just by the pitch, tone, and sound 287 00:10:47,554 --> 00:10:49,735 of it, they know exactly what they need, 288 00:10:50,170 --> 00:10:52,970 exactly what they want, exactly what happened to 289 00:10:52,970 --> 00:10:54,830 it. If it's an emergency, 290 00:10:55,290 --> 00:10:57,050 or if it's a diaper that needs to 291 00:10:57,050 --> 00:10:57,710 be changed. 292 00:10:58,170 --> 00:11:00,830 Right? They know it. And it's incredible. 293 00:11:01,865 --> 00:11:03,865 Well, I mentioned that because if an earthly 294 00:11:03,865 --> 00:11:05,625 mother can do this, how much more our 295 00:11:05,625 --> 00:11:06,605 heavenly father 296 00:11:07,225 --> 00:11:09,944 whom we whom created us, whom we have 297 00:11:09,944 --> 00:11:11,784 our existence and have all of our being 298 00:11:11,784 --> 00:11:14,340 in. Or when we cry to the Lord, 299 00:11:14,420 --> 00:11:16,420 even if it's a prayer that cries to 300 00:11:16,420 --> 00:11:17,960 him or it's literally crying, 301 00:11:18,580 --> 00:11:19,639 he could hear us. 302 00:11:20,019 --> 00:11:22,920 He's able to interpret what is wrong. 303 00:11:24,100 --> 00:11:26,200 That's another wonderful comfort of prayer. 304 00:11:27,534 --> 00:11:29,695 And, continuing with verse 2, David writes, my 305 00:11:29,695 --> 00:11:30,754 king, my God, 306 00:11:31,455 --> 00:11:32,274 for to 307 00:11:33,375 --> 00:11:34,514 you do I pray. 308 00:11:35,054 --> 00:11:38,174 Now, in the Hebrew, when David writes, for 309 00:11:38,174 --> 00:11:40,335 to you do I pray, what David is 310 00:11:40,335 --> 00:11:41,554 communicating is 311 00:11:41,934 --> 00:11:42,434 exclusivity 312 00:11:43,589 --> 00:11:45,829 in his prayer. In other words, what David 313 00:11:45,829 --> 00:11:48,009 is saying is, Yahweh, it's only 314 00:11:48,470 --> 00:11:50,009 to you that I pray. 315 00:11:51,829 --> 00:11:52,970 Therefore, dear saints, 316 00:11:53,509 --> 00:11:55,909 this text ought to remind us that the 317 00:11:55,909 --> 00:11:56,409 object 318 00:11:56,870 --> 00:11:58,089 we lift our prayers 319 00:11:58,595 --> 00:12:00,134 to is Yahweh alone. 320 00:12:01,315 --> 00:12:03,735 Father, the son, and the holy spirit. 321 00:12:04,835 --> 00:12:07,075 The that the object we lift our prayer 322 00:12:07,075 --> 00:12:10,055 to is Yahweh alone. Father, son, and holy 323 00:12:10,274 --> 00:12:12,595 spirit. David did not pray to the saints 324 00:12:12,595 --> 00:12:13,894 that came before him. 325 00:12:14,539 --> 00:12:17,199 He did not pray to Adam, Noah, 326 00:12:17,899 --> 00:12:19,519 Moses, or Joshua. 327 00:12:21,339 --> 00:12:23,579 Today, we have this form of prayer practiced 328 00:12:23,579 --> 00:12:26,665 by our Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox friends. 329 00:12:26,665 --> 00:12:28,445 And this is one of the great differences 330 00:12:28,585 --> 00:12:29,325 and distinctions 331 00:12:29,705 --> 00:12:30,605 between Protestantism 332 00:12:31,065 --> 00:12:31,565 and 333 00:12:32,024 --> 00:12:32,684 and those 334 00:12:33,144 --> 00:12:34,365 branches of Christendom. 335 00:12:35,304 --> 00:12:36,745 And here's one text where we would look 336 00:12:36,745 --> 00:12:38,585 at and say, no, prayer ought to be 337 00:12:38,585 --> 00:12:40,529 the object of our prayer that we lift 338 00:12:40,769 --> 00:12:43,590 our prayers to. Is God Yahweh alone? 339 00:12:44,690 --> 00:12:46,930 David is also not praying to his government. 340 00:12:46,930 --> 00:12:50,050 He's not directing his prayers to judges or 341 00:12:50,050 --> 00:12:53,009 or elders or commanders. And, you know, for 342 00:12:53,009 --> 00:12:54,769 some of us, that might sound wrong. Who 343 00:12:54,769 --> 00:12:56,230 prays to the government? 344 00:12:57,705 --> 00:12:59,625 Right? Why why why why would anybody do 345 00:12:59,625 --> 00:13:01,384 this? That's that's kind of odd. Well, I 346 00:13:01,705 --> 00:13:03,164 if that's kind of confusing, 347 00:13:04,985 --> 00:13:06,904 you really need to understand. We have to 348 00:13:06,904 --> 00:13:09,245 recognize that the question really is not 349 00:13:09,899 --> 00:13:11,579 whether we pray to God, but which God 350 00:13:11,579 --> 00:13:12,559 do we pray to. 351 00:13:13,419 --> 00:13:15,679 Right? The question is not whether, but which. 352 00:13:15,980 --> 00:13:17,500 It's not whether you pray to God, but 353 00:13:17,500 --> 00:13:19,759 which God do you pray to? Man is 354 00:13:19,820 --> 00:13:20,879 is so prone 355 00:13:22,774 --> 00:13:24,555 to make a god out of institutions 356 00:13:25,654 --> 00:13:26,394 and people. 357 00:13:27,495 --> 00:13:29,095 And as we speak and make our request 358 00:13:29,095 --> 00:13:30,455 to them and we see that they're the 359 00:13:30,615 --> 00:13:32,855 maybe they're the only solution, we, in effect, 360 00:13:32,855 --> 00:13:34,615 are praying to them in in in in 361 00:13:34,615 --> 00:13:36,215 making them out to be god. Turn on 362 00:13:36,215 --> 00:13:37,115 the news station, 363 00:13:37,919 --> 00:13:40,159 Whatever. What party or political affiliation, and you 364 00:13:40,159 --> 00:13:42,259 will see, in effect, prayers being lifted. 365 00:13:48,240 --> 00:13:50,240 When we do this, we will often find 366 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:52,019 ourselves lifting our desires 367 00:13:52,455 --> 00:13:54,695 exclusively and more often to them than our 368 00:13:54,695 --> 00:13:57,095 creator when we pray to the government. Now 369 00:13:57,095 --> 00:13:59,735 let me be clear. Christians ought to petition 370 00:13:59,735 --> 00:14:00,394 our government. 371 00:14:00,855 --> 00:14:02,774 K? We we ought to be involved in 372 00:14:02,774 --> 00:14:03,274 electing 373 00:14:03,735 --> 00:14:04,235 godly, 374 00:14:04,930 --> 00:14:08,070 even Christian leaders that will establish peace, justice, 375 00:14:08,210 --> 00:14:09,509 righteousness, and prosperity 376 00:14:10,050 --> 00:14:11,910 in in our land. We want that. 377 00:14:12,529 --> 00:14:15,410 However, the problem is when we see any 378 00:14:15,410 --> 00:14:15,910 politician 379 00:14:16,529 --> 00:14:17,029 party. 380 00:14:17,554 --> 00:14:18,914 Let me go even a little bit further 381 00:14:18,914 --> 00:14:21,334 for the Wilens Reformed Church, even our pastor. 382 00:14:22,034 --> 00:14:24,514 Right? We begin to see them as the 383 00:14:24,514 --> 00:14:26,454 resolution and solution for everything. 384 00:14:27,315 --> 00:14:29,414 Right? That may become sinful. 385 00:14:30,149 --> 00:14:32,149 For the Christian, we lift our prayers unto 386 00:14:32,149 --> 00:14:34,870 God alone because he alone, as David says, 387 00:14:34,870 --> 00:14:36,490 is our God and our king. 388 00:14:36,870 --> 00:14:38,709 He is alone as our God and our 389 00:14:38,709 --> 00:14:40,889 king. He alone is our highest good 390 00:14:41,190 --> 00:14:44,575 and our in our, unending need. He alone 391 00:14:44,575 --> 00:14:46,815 is our highest good in our unending need. 392 00:14:46,815 --> 00:14:48,975 So our prayers ought to be directed to 393 00:14:48,975 --> 00:14:49,955 God alone. 394 00:14:51,695 --> 00:14:53,715 Now, moving to verse 3, read with me. 395 00:14:55,169 --> 00:14:57,490 David writes, oh Lord, in the morning you 396 00:14:57,490 --> 00:15:00,149 hear my voice. In the morning, I prepare 397 00:15:00,210 --> 00:15:02,149 a sacrifice for you and watch. 398 00:15:03,889 --> 00:15:06,210 Now last week, we learned that Psalm 4 399 00:15:06,210 --> 00:15:08,884 was an evening prayer. I mentioned this this 400 00:15:08,884 --> 00:15:10,325 morning at the very beginning of our sermon 401 00:15:10,325 --> 00:15:12,404 that Psalm 5 was a morning prayer. And 402 00:15:12,404 --> 00:15:14,024 this is one of the reasons here. 403 00:15:14,404 --> 00:15:16,664 Here, David mentions that in the morning, 404 00:15:17,044 --> 00:15:19,205 Yahweh hears his voice. There's a sense of 405 00:15:19,205 --> 00:15:21,389 assurance that the Lord is actually hearing him 406 00:15:21,470 --> 00:15:23,070 at that period of time. It's also the 407 00:15:23,070 --> 00:15:25,009 time where he lifts his prayer 408 00:15:25,629 --> 00:15:26,450 unto God. 409 00:15:27,790 --> 00:15:29,629 Now, you're saying there is a belief in 410 00:15:29,629 --> 00:15:30,450 American Christianity 411 00:15:31,470 --> 00:15:33,549 that says that the power of prayer is 412 00:15:33,549 --> 00:15:34,610 found in spontaneity. 413 00:15:37,384 --> 00:15:39,465 Repeat that again. There's a there's a belief 414 00:15:39,465 --> 00:15:40,845 that in American Christianity 415 00:15:41,384 --> 00:15:43,465 that says that the power of prayer is 416 00:15:43,465 --> 00:15:46,205 found in spontaneity. In other words, prayer unscheduled 417 00:15:46,345 --> 00:15:48,745 is is a is a is prayer that 418 00:15:48,745 --> 00:15:49,404 is unspiritual, 419 00:15:50,024 --> 00:15:50,764 if you will. 420 00:15:51,370 --> 00:15:53,610 And once again, this is not true. Now 421 00:15:53,610 --> 00:15:55,610 that's also not to say that the Bible 422 00:15:55,610 --> 00:15:57,370 commands us to pray in the morning or 423 00:15:57,370 --> 00:15:59,370 in the afternoon or the evening. We don't 424 00:15:59,370 --> 00:16:02,350 wanna fall into into that ditch. However, 425 00:16:03,475 --> 00:16:06,534 the spiritual discipline of making time to pray 426 00:16:06,914 --> 00:16:08,294 is biblical and wise. 427 00:16:09,715 --> 00:16:11,955 The spiritual discipline of making time to pray 428 00:16:11,955 --> 00:16:15,095 is biblical and wise. And I think if 429 00:16:15,235 --> 00:16:16,514 you and I are honest, one of the 430 00:16:16,514 --> 00:16:18,690 reasons why we fail to pray in the 431 00:16:18,769 --> 00:16:20,769 Christian faith life and practice is because we 432 00:16:20,769 --> 00:16:22,070 don't schedule it in. 433 00:16:22,769 --> 00:16:24,289 I'll be the first to admit that it's 434 00:16:24,289 --> 00:16:25,669 not my priority 435 00:16:26,049 --> 00:16:27,909 oftentimes to put on my calendar. 436 00:16:29,330 --> 00:16:31,269 Dear saints, scheduling prayer 437 00:16:32,304 --> 00:16:34,644 is a good and godly thing to do. 438 00:16:34,945 --> 00:16:37,365 The apostle Paul writes actually to Timothy. 439 00:16:37,904 --> 00:16:39,684 Timothy is a young pastor 440 00:16:40,304 --> 00:16:40,705 of, 441 00:16:41,184 --> 00:16:42,725 of Ephesus Reformed Church. 442 00:16:43,184 --> 00:16:43,504 And, 443 00:16:43,985 --> 00:16:46,545 and and he writes to Timothy in 1st 444 00:16:46,545 --> 00:16:49,019 Timothy chapter 4 verse 7 through 8. I 445 00:16:49,019 --> 00:16:50,699 want us to pay attention to this. Listen 446 00:16:50,699 --> 00:16:52,639 to these words. He he tells Timothy, 447 00:16:53,100 --> 00:16:56,139 have nothing to do with irreverent and silly 448 00:16:56,139 --> 00:16:56,639 myths. 449 00:16:57,339 --> 00:16:57,839 Rather, 450 00:16:58,220 --> 00:17:01,120 pay attention here, train yourself for godliness. 451 00:17:01,845 --> 00:17:04,825 For while bodily training is of some value, 452 00:17:05,525 --> 00:17:06,025 godliness 453 00:17:06,565 --> 00:17:08,265 is of value in every way. 454 00:17:08,804 --> 00:17:11,625 As it holds promises for the present life 455 00:17:11,845 --> 00:17:14,164 and the life to come. All saying, train 456 00:17:14,164 --> 00:17:15,304 yourself for godliness. 457 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:17,919 And dear saints, prayer is one of those 458 00:17:17,919 --> 00:17:18,900 spiritual disciplines 459 00:17:19,279 --> 00:17:21,679 that we ought to practice. It really is 460 00:17:21,679 --> 00:17:22,500 an exercise. 461 00:17:23,839 --> 00:17:25,539 If if we wanna build muscle, 462 00:17:26,799 --> 00:17:29,059 we schedule ourselves to go to the gym. 463 00:17:30,694 --> 00:17:32,934 If we wanna lose weight, we schedule a 464 00:17:32,934 --> 00:17:34,234 time to food prep. 465 00:17:34,694 --> 00:17:36,934 We sort of are very orderly and systematic 466 00:17:36,934 --> 00:17:38,454 in what we eat and what we don't 467 00:17:38,454 --> 00:17:38,954 eat. 468 00:17:40,295 --> 00:17:43,174 Well, if you desire to be conformed more 469 00:17:43,174 --> 00:17:44,775 and more to the image of Christ and 470 00:17:44,775 --> 00:17:47,009 die more and more into sin, which is 471 00:17:47,009 --> 00:17:48,470 godliness, that pursuit, 472 00:17:48,769 --> 00:17:50,390 we ought to pray, dear Christian. 473 00:17:51,170 --> 00:17:52,390 Make time for it. 474 00:17:53,570 --> 00:17:55,970 Another thing that that David points out here 475 00:17:55,970 --> 00:17:59,170 related to spontaneity is, it's okay to prepare 476 00:17:59,170 --> 00:18:00,230 words of prayer. 477 00:18:00,845 --> 00:18:03,484 In verse 3, David's phrase, I prepare a 478 00:18:03,484 --> 00:18:06,445 sacrifice to you, can also be translated into 479 00:18:06,445 --> 00:18:09,664 Hebrew, I prepare my prayers to you. 480 00:18:10,285 --> 00:18:12,125 David was not a priest. He was not 481 00:18:12,125 --> 00:18:14,125 a Levi. He could not make a sacrifice. 482 00:18:14,125 --> 00:18:16,059 This is in reference to prayers. Right before 483 00:18:16,059 --> 00:18:18,539 the sacrifice would happen, the priest would prepare 484 00:18:18,539 --> 00:18:19,200 a prayer 485 00:18:19,580 --> 00:18:21,279 and and speak it before 486 00:18:21,580 --> 00:18:23,900 the sacrifice. And so this is what David 487 00:18:23,900 --> 00:18:25,039 is referencing 488 00:18:25,500 --> 00:18:27,740 here. Once again, our culture, for some reason, 489 00:18:27,740 --> 00:18:28,240 thinks 490 00:18:28,605 --> 00:18:30,785 spontaneity is is is somehow more 491 00:18:31,244 --> 00:18:34,144 spiritual, but it's okay to recite prayers. 492 00:18:34,924 --> 00:18:36,224 It's okay to prepare 493 00:18:36,684 --> 00:18:37,424 a prayer. 494 00:18:38,045 --> 00:18:39,424 We do it every Sunday 495 00:18:40,444 --> 00:18:42,224 in our confession of faith together, 496 00:18:42,525 --> 00:18:43,825 that there is a prayer. 497 00:18:44,380 --> 00:18:46,460 We at least schedule it in one time 498 00:18:46,460 --> 00:18:49,019 a week, corporately to do it, and it 499 00:18:49,019 --> 00:18:51,819 is biblical. It is wise. It's good for 500 00:18:51,819 --> 00:18:52,319 us. 501 00:18:52,779 --> 00:18:55,659 Keeping a prayer journal or a list of 502 00:18:55,659 --> 00:18:57,259 those that we need to pray for is 503 00:18:57,259 --> 00:18:58,400 a form of preparing 504 00:18:58,779 --> 00:18:59,759 for our prayers. 505 00:19:00,315 --> 00:19:01,934 We ought to do that as well. 506 00:19:04,554 --> 00:19:06,335 Now, moving to verse verses, 507 00:19:06,954 --> 00:19:08,174 4 and 6. 508 00:19:08,954 --> 00:19:10,654 David continues. He writes, 509 00:19:11,434 --> 00:19:13,514 for you are not a God who delights 510 00:19:13,514 --> 00:19:14,335 in wickedness. 511 00:19:15,769 --> 00:19:17,710 Evil may not dwell in you. 512 00:19:18,169 --> 00:19:20,909 The boastful shall not stand before your eyes. 513 00:19:21,450 --> 00:19:22,669 You hate evildoers. 514 00:19:23,929 --> 00:19:25,950 You destroy those who speak lies. 515 00:19:26,650 --> 00:19:27,950 The Lord abhors 516 00:19:28,329 --> 00:19:29,069 the bloodthirsty 517 00:19:30,134 --> 00:19:31,035 and the deceitful 518 00:19:31,734 --> 00:19:32,234 man. 519 00:19:32,934 --> 00:19:34,934 Now often when we pray, we go straight 520 00:19:34,934 --> 00:19:35,755 to the request, 521 00:19:36,455 --> 00:19:37,595 which is not bad. 522 00:19:38,134 --> 00:19:40,154 There's also a sense in which we should 523 00:19:40,535 --> 00:19:42,695 adore our Lord in prayer. And by way 524 00:19:42,695 --> 00:19:43,434 of example, 525 00:19:44,279 --> 00:19:47,080 David models the act of adoration in prayer, 526 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:47,580 which 527 00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:50,759 is lifting our words of worship and praise 528 00:19:50,759 --> 00:19:51,420 to God, 529 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:53,259 in prayer. 530 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:56,359 Praising him for who he is. Telling him 531 00:19:56,359 --> 00:19:57,820 the things that he has done, 532 00:19:58,224 --> 00:20:00,404 And oftentimes, when we do that in prayer, 533 00:20:00,865 --> 00:20:03,105 by way of reminder, we are sort of, 534 00:20:03,105 --> 00:20:05,585 you know, this is the sort of tide 535 00:20:05,585 --> 00:20:08,164 that rises and elevates our boldness and confidence 536 00:20:08,784 --> 00:20:10,004 in the Lord. 537 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:12,500 David, in essence here, 538 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:14,180 is affirming God's 539 00:20:14,480 --> 00:20:14,980 holiness. 540 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:16,420 God's holiness. 541 00:20:16,799 --> 00:20:18,740 The word holy in Hebrew is kadosh, 542 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:21,460 and it simply means to be set apart. 543 00:20:21,519 --> 00:20:23,860 And the holiness of God is most 544 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:25,380 powerfully captured 545 00:20:25,795 --> 00:20:27,494 in Isaiah chapter 6. 546 00:20:28,115 --> 00:20:29,954 I would recommend anybody who has not read 547 00:20:29,954 --> 00:20:31,255 that chapter read it. 548 00:20:31,555 --> 00:20:33,575 But in this passage, Isaiah 549 00:20:33,875 --> 00:20:36,434 has a vision of Yahweh in the temple, 550 00:20:36,434 --> 00:20:37,494 and it is magnificent. 551 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:39,799 It is wonderful, the description of it. The 552 00:20:39,799 --> 00:20:42,140 Lord's robe is filling the temple. 553 00:20:42,600 --> 00:20:45,340 You have angels flying around Yahweh, 554 00:20:46,119 --> 00:20:48,360 and these angels have 6 wings, 2 wings 555 00:20:48,360 --> 00:20:49,880 to cover their eyes, and there are other 556 00:20:49,880 --> 00:20:51,615 2 wings to cover their feet, and the 557 00:20:51,615 --> 00:20:53,295 other 2 to fly around him. And, what 558 00:20:53,295 --> 00:20:54,194 they are saying 559 00:20:54,654 --> 00:20:57,855 is, holy, holy, holy is the Lord of 560 00:20:57,855 --> 00:21:00,275 hosts. The whole earth is filled 561 00:21:00,815 --> 00:21:03,954 with his glory. And, that threefold repetition, 562 00:21:04,255 --> 00:21:05,954 holy, holy, holy 563 00:21:06,460 --> 00:21:08,539 is a Hebrew superlative. It's it's sort of 564 00:21:08,539 --> 00:21:10,220 like when we say in English, he is 565 00:21:10,220 --> 00:21:12,559 the most wise, or he is the greatest. 566 00:21:13,259 --> 00:21:14,080 Well, here, 567 00:21:14,779 --> 00:21:16,400 there's a there's an affirmation 568 00:21:17,180 --> 00:21:19,360 in this threefold holiness that communicates 569 00:21:20,059 --> 00:21:21,920 Yahweh's utter and complete 570 00:21:22,424 --> 00:21:22,924 separateness 571 00:21:23,225 --> 00:21:24,285 from all of creation. 572 00:21:25,225 --> 00:21:26,765 He he is not like us 573 00:21:27,865 --> 00:21:29,725 and we are not like him. 574 00:21:31,545 --> 00:21:33,305 And how so? Well, David mentions it here. 575 00:21:33,305 --> 00:21:34,904 He says, he does not delight in the 576 00:21:34,904 --> 00:21:35,404 wicked. 577 00:21:36,470 --> 00:21:37,990 There are some wicked things that we delight 578 00:21:37,990 --> 00:21:38,490 in. 579 00:21:39,990 --> 00:21:41,690 Evil does not dwell in him. 580 00:21:43,109 --> 00:21:45,269 Jesus says that within our hearts, there is 581 00:21:45,269 --> 00:21:47,190 evil, and we know it by what comes 582 00:21:47,190 --> 00:21:48,490 out of our mouth. 583 00:21:49,484 --> 00:21:52,365 We are sinful and participate in wickedness. Inside 584 00:21:52,365 --> 00:21:55,164 us dwells evil that defiles us. Once again, 585 00:21:55,164 --> 00:21:56,525 we are not like him and he is 586 00:21:56,525 --> 00:21:57,825 not like us. 587 00:21:58,684 --> 00:22:00,444 Yahweh is without sin, and in him there 588 00:22:00,444 --> 00:22:01,265 is no darkness. 589 00:22:01,900 --> 00:22:03,279 Not even a shadow 590 00:22:04,140 --> 00:22:06,460 exists in his mist in his midst when 591 00:22:06,460 --> 00:22:07,039 he arrives. 592 00:22:07,819 --> 00:22:09,819 He is light and he is life. And 593 00:22:09,819 --> 00:22:11,500 the reason David said this is because he 594 00:22:11,500 --> 00:22:13,179 would have read the scriptures of the Old 595 00:22:13,179 --> 00:22:13,679 Testament. 596 00:22:14,055 --> 00:22:16,475 He would have read Moses's words in Deuteronomy 597 00:22:16,615 --> 00:22:19,914 chapter 32 verse 4 when Moses wrote 598 00:22:20,295 --> 00:22:21,035 that God's 599 00:22:21,735 --> 00:22:22,715 work is perfect, 600 00:22:23,255 --> 00:22:24,955 for all his ways are just. 601 00:22:26,390 --> 00:22:28,730 A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, 602 00:22:30,230 --> 00:22:31,529 just and upright 603 00:22:31,830 --> 00:22:32,650 is Yahweh. 604 00:22:33,110 --> 00:22:35,029 In other words, David could read the scriptures. 605 00:22:35,029 --> 00:22:36,630 He could look at the history of Israel, 606 00:22:36,630 --> 00:22:38,650 and he could find no sin in Yahweh. 607 00:22:39,644 --> 00:22:41,085 He was perfect in the way that he 608 00:22:41,085 --> 00:22:41,825 led them. 609 00:22:42,605 --> 00:22:44,305 He was perfect in his patience. 610 00:22:45,085 --> 00:22:47,085 And when he executed justice, he did it 611 00:22:47,085 --> 00:22:47,585 righteously. 612 00:22:49,484 --> 00:22:51,184 There is no sin in him. 613 00:22:54,079 --> 00:22:56,259 Yahweh could be found without sin. 614 00:22:56,880 --> 00:22:59,200 Moreover, the scriptures proved when David was looking 615 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:02,259 at it that the Lord hates, he abhors 616 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:05,779 the boastful, the liars, the evildoers, the bloodthirsty, 617 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:07,920 and the deceitful men. And, he knew that 618 00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:10,724 this was Yahweh's character because of their destruction. 619 00:23:11,424 --> 00:23:13,904 Once again, this is the holiness of God. 620 00:23:13,904 --> 00:23:15,585 And for some of us this morning, it 621 00:23:15,585 --> 00:23:16,804 might sound weird 622 00:23:17,265 --> 00:23:18,804 that to say that God hates, 623 00:23:19,345 --> 00:23:20,404 that God abhors. 624 00:23:22,180 --> 00:23:23,960 It was often said in Christian circles, 625 00:23:24,660 --> 00:23:26,680 God loves the sinner, but hates the sin. 626 00:23:27,779 --> 00:23:29,880 God loves the sinner, but hates the sin. 627 00:23:30,099 --> 00:23:31,080 A sort of bifurcation, 628 00:23:32,180 --> 00:23:34,359 a more narrowing of what God hates 629 00:23:35,424 --> 00:23:37,744 than what we should define. And while I 630 00:23:37,744 --> 00:23:38,965 understand the sentiment, 631 00:23:40,305 --> 00:23:42,884 however, at face value and left alone, 632 00:23:43,184 --> 00:23:44,965 the statement is actually not biblical. 633 00:23:45,904 --> 00:23:47,684 Sin manifests through people. 634 00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:51,220 So this is not an abstract invisible force 635 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:52,980 in a corner behind a shed. 636 00:23:55,279 --> 00:23:57,679 In addition, what what goes to hell, what 637 00:23:57,679 --> 00:24:00,419 is punished by God is not a floating 638 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:00,980 force, 639 00:24:01,599 --> 00:24:02,419 but people. 640 00:24:05,595 --> 00:24:07,294 What was punished to propitiate 641 00:24:07,674 --> 00:24:09,515 our sins on the cross was not a 642 00:24:09,515 --> 00:24:11,274 floating force, but it was a person. And 643 00:24:11,274 --> 00:24:12,815 it was Jesus Christ, the righteous. 644 00:24:13,994 --> 00:24:15,454 Jesus, the lord, 645 00:24:15,835 --> 00:24:17,835 hates sin, and we ought to hate what 646 00:24:17,835 --> 00:24:20,089 he hates and love what he loves. And 647 00:24:20,089 --> 00:24:22,009 and what I'm also not communicating, I don't 648 00:24:22,009 --> 00:24:23,450 want us to fall into another side of 649 00:24:23,450 --> 00:24:25,450 the ditch, and that we're what I'm trying 650 00:24:25,450 --> 00:24:27,210 to communicate is just god hates. That's all 651 00:24:27,210 --> 00:24:27,869 he does. 652 00:24:28,250 --> 00:24:29,389 No. God is 653 00:24:29,769 --> 00:24:30,269 love. 654 00:24:31,765 --> 00:24:34,565 The most famous bible verse confirms this. John 655 00:24:34,565 --> 00:24:36,244 3 16. Most of us could cite it 656 00:24:36,244 --> 00:24:38,505 by memory. For God so loved the world 657 00:24:39,365 --> 00:24:41,304 that he gave his only begotten son. 658 00:24:43,730 --> 00:24:45,349 But he does not just say it. 659 00:24:45,650 --> 00:24:47,650 He demonstrates it through the sending of his 660 00:24:47,650 --> 00:24:49,730 son. Paul writes in Romans chapter 5 verse 661 00:24:49,730 --> 00:24:52,210 6, but God showed his love for us 662 00:24:52,210 --> 00:24:54,309 in that while we were still sinners, 663 00:24:54,769 --> 00:24:56,230 Christ died for us. 664 00:25:00,025 --> 00:25:01,325 Therefore, God hates 665 00:25:02,025 --> 00:25:03,085 and loves sinners. 666 00:25:07,625 --> 00:25:09,484 The cross of Calvary demonstrates, 667 00:25:10,025 --> 00:25:11,944 when we look upon it, both the hatred 668 00:25:11,944 --> 00:25:13,224 of sin and the love of God for 669 00:25:13,224 --> 00:25:13,724 sinners. 670 00:25:14,630 --> 00:25:15,609 That's the symbol. 671 00:25:16,149 --> 00:25:17,369 We ought not to forget 672 00:25:17,909 --> 00:25:19,990 1, or just focus upon 1 and leave 673 00:25:19,990 --> 00:25:21,750 the other. The glory of God is found 674 00:25:21,750 --> 00:25:23,589 on the cross, and that is where the 675 00:25:23,589 --> 00:25:26,329 the epitome of God's love is seen 676 00:25:26,630 --> 00:25:27,690 for sinners. 677 00:25:28,815 --> 00:25:30,734 Dear saints, in our prayers like David, the 678 00:25:30,734 --> 00:25:31,954 holiness of God 679 00:25:32,414 --> 00:25:34,414 ought to be the heartbeat of our adoration 680 00:25:34,414 --> 00:25:36,255 to him. When we arrive in prayer, we 681 00:25:36,255 --> 00:25:36,914 ought to 682 00:25:37,294 --> 00:25:39,694 recite to him the wonderful works of his 683 00:25:39,694 --> 00:25:40,194 redemption. 684 00:25:41,369 --> 00:25:43,950 Dear Lord, thank you for sending your son 685 00:25:45,049 --> 00:25:46,349 to die for my sins. 686 00:25:47,210 --> 00:25:48,829 To die for the sins of my family. 687 00:25:49,609 --> 00:25:51,369 Thank you that you are holy and just. 688 00:25:51,369 --> 00:25:53,565 Thank you for your salvation. Thank you for 689 00:25:54,044 --> 00:25:55,804 the things that you have done. Thank you 690 00:25:55,804 --> 00:25:56,284 for, 691 00:25:56,764 --> 00:25:59,004 bringing justice to the wicked. Thank you for 692 00:25:59,004 --> 00:26:01,325 uncovering that which is in darkness and bringing 693 00:26:01,325 --> 00:26:02,304 it into light. 694 00:26:02,764 --> 00:26:04,304 You are God who sees everything. 695 00:26:04,924 --> 00:26:06,684 This is the form of adoration that we 696 00:26:06,684 --> 00:26:08,444 should come. It really helps us to come 697 00:26:08,444 --> 00:26:09,345 with a reverence 698 00:26:09,700 --> 00:26:11,619 and awe to God in our prayers. And 699 00:26:11,619 --> 00:26:13,240 it just helps us overall. 700 00:26:13,539 --> 00:26:15,720 If if God did not answer prayer, 701 00:26:16,740 --> 00:26:18,920 right, simply the adoration itself 702 00:26:20,259 --> 00:26:22,279 is worth doing for us 703 00:26:23,375 --> 00:26:24,835 because of who God is. 704 00:26:25,215 --> 00:26:28,275 Does God change things? Yes. Simply by adoration, 705 00:26:28,494 --> 00:26:29,795 he will change us. 706 00:26:30,335 --> 00:26:32,335 I I I I recommend to do it. 707 00:26:32,335 --> 00:26:33,795 It's it's a wonderful thing. 708 00:26:34,894 --> 00:26:37,055 And moving on, read with me verses 8 709 00:26:37,055 --> 00:26:38,355 and 9. David writes, 710 00:26:39,809 --> 00:26:42,789 but I, through the abundance of your steadfast 711 00:26:42,929 --> 00:26:45,410 love, will enter your house. I will bow 712 00:26:45,410 --> 00:26:47,890 down towards your holy temple in the fear 713 00:26:47,890 --> 00:26:48,549 of you. 714 00:26:49,009 --> 00:26:51,490 Lead me, oh, Lord, in your righteousness because 715 00:26:51,490 --> 00:26:52,309 of my enemies. 716 00:26:52,769 --> 00:26:53,990 Make your way straight 717 00:26:54,615 --> 00:26:55,355 before me. 718 00:26:56,214 --> 00:26:58,714 Here David is contrasting his destination 719 00:26:59,815 --> 00:27:00,954 with the wicked. 720 00:27:01,494 --> 00:27:03,515 The wicked will be destroyed. However, 721 00:27:04,214 --> 00:27:06,795 he says, David says, he will enter 722 00:27:07,609 --> 00:27:10,049 God's house. But until then, he is going 723 00:27:10,049 --> 00:27:13,150 to, look towards the temple and pray towards 724 00:27:13,450 --> 00:27:14,190 the temple. 725 00:27:14,730 --> 00:27:16,570 Now David could not enter the temple. As 726 00:27:16,570 --> 00:27:18,090 I said recently, he was not a priest. 727 00:27:18,090 --> 00:27:19,450 He was not from the tribe of Levi. 728 00:27:19,450 --> 00:27:21,445 He was from the tribe of Judah. He 729 00:27:21,445 --> 00:27:23,465 was the, he was the king of Israel. 730 00:27:23,525 --> 00:27:25,525 And just because he was the king, didn't 731 00:27:25,525 --> 00:27:27,045 mean that he could mosey on into the 732 00:27:27,045 --> 00:27:27,545 temple. 733 00:27:28,005 --> 00:27:29,525 Didn't mean that he could dwell into the 734 00:27:29,525 --> 00:27:32,085 presence of God. That was only for the 735 00:27:32,085 --> 00:27:34,725 Levites. And so when he says, David says, 736 00:27:34,725 --> 00:27:36,184 I will enter your house, 737 00:27:36,789 --> 00:27:39,190 he's not talking about an earthly temple, but 738 00:27:39,190 --> 00:27:40,970 he's talking about a heavenly one. 739 00:27:41,430 --> 00:27:43,190 David is looking upon the day in which 740 00:27:43,190 --> 00:27:44,869 he will dwell with the Lord for all 741 00:27:44,869 --> 00:27:47,190 of eternity on earth. And the new testament 742 00:27:47,190 --> 00:27:48,950 tells us that this is the new heavens 743 00:27:48,950 --> 00:27:51,484 and new earth. This is not simply heaven, 744 00:27:51,705 --> 00:27:53,005 but this is the reestablishment, 745 00:27:53,384 --> 00:27:55,545 the restoration of all things which Christ is 746 00:27:55,545 --> 00:27:57,005 doing in the present. 747 00:27:57,465 --> 00:27:59,224 God promises that he will dwell with his 748 00:27:59,224 --> 00:28:01,404 people for eternity, and this is where David 749 00:28:01,545 --> 00:28:02,525 looks at. 750 00:28:05,740 --> 00:28:08,140 And you're saying, notice the reason for his 751 00:28:08,140 --> 00:28:10,799 confidence that he will dwell with God. David 752 00:28:11,099 --> 00:28:13,099 does not place his confidence. The reason why 753 00:28:13,099 --> 00:28:15,180 he will enter into the gates, enter into 754 00:28:15,180 --> 00:28:17,180 his holy temple, it's not because of his 755 00:28:17,180 --> 00:28:19,835 works. It's not because of his heritage. It's 756 00:28:19,835 --> 00:28:21,434 not because of the tribe that he is 757 00:28:21,434 --> 00:28:23,595 in. It's not because of the position he 758 00:28:23,595 --> 00:28:24,575 has as king. 759 00:28:25,355 --> 00:28:28,414 His confidence is simply because of God's steadfast 760 00:28:29,274 --> 00:28:31,054 love. And I know I repeat 761 00:28:31,359 --> 00:28:33,039 Hebrew words often, but if there's one that 762 00:28:33,039 --> 00:28:34,500 you're gonna pay attention to, 763 00:28:35,200 --> 00:28:36,819 write down, take to heart, 764 00:28:37,279 --> 00:28:39,679 is this Hebrew word, which we translate in 765 00:28:39,679 --> 00:28:42,799 our English, steadfast love. David says, but I 766 00:28:42,799 --> 00:28:43,859 through the abundance 767 00:28:44,325 --> 00:28:45,065 of your steadfast 768 00:28:45,605 --> 00:28:47,304 love, will enter your house. 769 00:28:48,404 --> 00:28:48,904 Hesed, 770 00:28:49,204 --> 00:28:51,065 that Hebrew word, is the strongest 771 00:28:52,005 --> 00:28:53,464 form of love in the Bible. 772 00:28:54,724 --> 00:28:56,424 Hesed is that unfailing, 773 00:28:57,125 --> 00:28:57,625 unconditional, 774 00:28:58,380 --> 00:29:02,059 covenantal love that God only has exclusively for 775 00:29:02,059 --> 00:29:02,799 his people. 776 00:29:03,259 --> 00:29:05,339 He loves all creation in a general way, 777 00:29:05,339 --> 00:29:06,320 but more specifically, 778 00:29:06,859 --> 00:29:09,680 those upon whom he loved, his covenant people. 779 00:29:09,900 --> 00:29:11,200 Those he loves with 780 00:29:12,140 --> 00:29:13,759 the Hassed love. 781 00:29:16,365 --> 00:29:18,544 Dear saints, have you ever asked, 782 00:29:20,204 --> 00:29:21,424 you know, why me? 783 00:29:22,845 --> 00:29:24,065 Why did I deserve 784 00:29:24,525 --> 00:29:26,384 a salvation so great? 785 00:29:28,609 --> 00:29:30,450 What do I do to be granted the 786 00:29:30,450 --> 00:29:30,950 position 787 00:29:31,569 --> 00:29:33,569 and assurance that I will dwell with my 788 00:29:33,569 --> 00:29:36,130 creator for all of eternity and look with 789 00:29:36,130 --> 00:29:38,289 him look at him face to face? It's 790 00:29:38,289 --> 00:29:39,429 a wonderful thing. 791 00:29:39,904 --> 00:29:40,644 Why me? 792 00:29:41,664 --> 00:29:43,585 And the only answer that the Bible gives 793 00:29:43,585 --> 00:29:45,424 and Paul gives in the new testament is 794 00:29:45,424 --> 00:29:47,345 because of God's has said. His love. His 795 00:29:47,345 --> 00:29:49,664 steadfast love for his people. Listen with me 796 00:29:49,664 --> 00:29:51,204 at Ephesians chapter 2. 797 00:29:51,505 --> 00:29:53,664 Paul says, we all once lived in the 798 00:29:53,664 --> 00:29:55,125 passions of our flesh, 799 00:29:55,640 --> 00:29:57,480 carrying out the desires of the body and 800 00:29:57,480 --> 00:30:00,120 the mind, and were by nature children of 801 00:30:00,120 --> 00:30:00,620 wrath. 802 00:30:02,519 --> 00:30:03,980 There's nothing to love. 803 00:30:05,640 --> 00:30:08,680 Then Paul Paul writes, but God being rich 804 00:30:08,680 --> 00:30:09,420 in mercy, 805 00:30:09,865 --> 00:30:11,625 because of the great love with which he 806 00:30:11,625 --> 00:30:13,865 loved us, even when we were dead in 807 00:30:13,865 --> 00:30:17,164 our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ. 808 00:30:18,744 --> 00:30:21,144 So why have you been chosen? Why has 809 00:30:21,144 --> 00:30:21,644 God 810 00:30:22,069 --> 00:30:24,230 set his love upon you? Well, simply because 811 00:30:24,230 --> 00:30:25,589 of the great love with which he has 812 00:30:25,589 --> 00:30:26,329 loved us. 813 00:30:27,349 --> 00:30:29,509 And now David didn't have Paul to read 814 00:30:29,509 --> 00:30:31,429 this, but he did know this truth because 815 00:30:31,429 --> 00:30:33,269 this truth is found in the book of 816 00:30:33,269 --> 00:30:33,769 Deuteronomy. 817 00:30:34,454 --> 00:30:37,174 Moses reminds Israel that the reason why I 818 00:30:37,174 --> 00:30:38,934 chose you out of all the people, it 819 00:30:38,934 --> 00:30:39,674 wasn't because 820 00:30:40,134 --> 00:30:42,075 you were awesome, it's because I'm awesome. 821 00:30:42,454 --> 00:30:44,954 Right? It's because of my promises and steadfast 822 00:30:45,095 --> 00:30:45,595 love. 823 00:30:47,320 --> 00:30:49,880 Moses writes in Deuteronomy chapter 7 verses 7 824 00:30:49,880 --> 00:30:52,220 through 9. It was not because you were 825 00:30:52,600 --> 00:30:54,779 more in number than any of the people. 826 00:30:55,640 --> 00:30:57,400 The Lord set his love on you and 827 00:30:57,400 --> 00:30:59,240 chose you for you were the fewest of 828 00:30:59,240 --> 00:30:59,900 all people. 829 00:31:00,394 --> 00:31:01,294 But it is because 830 00:31:01,595 --> 00:31:04,474 the Lord loves you, and is keeping the 831 00:31:04,474 --> 00:31:06,494 path that he swore to your fathers. 832 00:31:08,634 --> 00:31:11,115 Dear saints, the love of God ought to 833 00:31:11,115 --> 00:31:12,494 drive us in prayer 834 00:31:12,875 --> 00:31:13,694 with boldness. 835 00:31:16,400 --> 00:31:18,319 We ought to come in his courts and 836 00:31:18,319 --> 00:31:19,539 knock more frequently, 837 00:31:21,839 --> 00:31:24,079 and drive us to lift our thanks and 838 00:31:24,079 --> 00:31:24,579 praise 839 00:31:24,880 --> 00:31:27,519 to him daily. We are saved by grace 840 00:31:27,519 --> 00:31:30,115 through faith and not by our own works, 841 00:31:30,115 --> 00:31:32,035 but only through him who saves and loves 842 00:31:32,035 --> 00:31:32,535 us. 843 00:31:34,275 --> 00:31:36,035 But look again here, David also does that 844 00:31:36,035 --> 00:31:37,875 he just doesn't save us because of his 845 00:31:37,875 --> 00:31:40,115 love. He he also sanctifies us. In other 846 00:31:40,115 --> 00:31:42,720 words, God does not simply just promise to 847 00:31:42,720 --> 00:31:44,099 bring us into salvation, 848 00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:46,179 bring us into eternity. 849 00:31:46,559 --> 00:31:48,480 He loves us so much that he is 850 00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:50,480 sanctifying us. He is delivering out of our 851 00:31:50,480 --> 00:31:52,740 own ways in this life at present. 852 00:31:53,375 --> 00:31:55,215 And it's the reason why David asked, lead 853 00:31:55,215 --> 00:31:57,234 me, oh Lord, in your righteousness, 854 00:31:59,055 --> 00:32:00,914 and make your way straight for me. 855 00:32:03,134 --> 00:32:04,815 And dear saints, do we pray that the 856 00:32:04,815 --> 00:32:06,414 Lord will lead us to walk in a 857 00:32:06,414 --> 00:32:09,075 manner that is worthy and pleasing to him? 858 00:32:10,799 --> 00:32:12,400 In our prayers, do we care about what 859 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:15,220 God prays for? What God wants, excuse me. 860 00:32:17,359 --> 00:32:19,619 That we thirst to walk in God's righteousness 861 00:32:21,375 --> 00:32:23,954 more than asking for wealth and health? 862 00:32:24,494 --> 00:32:26,095 It's not to say praying for health and 863 00:32:26,095 --> 00:32:27,855 wealth is a bad thing, but do we 864 00:32:27,855 --> 00:32:28,835 thirst for righteousness? 865 00:32:31,055 --> 00:32:32,734 Do we pray that God will make our 866 00:32:32,734 --> 00:32:34,994 way straight before we make our way straight? 867 00:32:36,130 --> 00:32:38,150 We run to him in our prayers. 868 00:32:42,289 --> 00:32:44,210 Moving to verse 9 through 10, read with 869 00:32:44,210 --> 00:32:47,269 me. David writes, for there is no truth 870 00:32:47,329 --> 00:32:48,309 in their mouth. 871 00:32:49,664 --> 00:32:50,485 Their innermost 872 00:32:50,865 --> 00:32:53,605 self is destruction. It's an incredible statement. 873 00:32:54,225 --> 00:32:56,865 Their throat is an open grave. They flatter 874 00:32:56,865 --> 00:32:57,684 with their tongue. 875 00:32:58,065 --> 00:33:00,305 Make them bear their guilt, oh God. Let 876 00:33:00,305 --> 00:33:02,164 them fall by their own counsel 877 00:33:02,625 --> 00:33:04,644 because they have rebelled 878 00:33:05,579 --> 00:33:06,480 against you. 879 00:33:08,140 --> 00:33:10,700 Now here, David prays what is called an 880 00:33:10,700 --> 00:33:11,200 imprecatory 881 00:33:11,660 --> 00:33:12,160 prayer. 882 00:33:12,700 --> 00:33:13,519 An imprecatory 883 00:33:13,980 --> 00:33:17,039 prayer. Now what is this? An imprecatory prayer 884 00:33:17,744 --> 00:33:19,204 is a request 885 00:33:20,305 --> 00:33:24,085 for God's judgment and curse upon his enemies. 886 00:33:24,224 --> 00:33:27,444 The enemies of his people. Whether by exposure, 887 00:33:27,984 --> 00:33:30,224 whether by their own doing, or either by 888 00:33:30,224 --> 00:33:31,684 their own destruction. 889 00:33:32,390 --> 00:33:33,529 I mean, hear it again. 890 00:33:34,710 --> 00:33:36,090 Make them bear their guilt, 891 00:33:36,630 --> 00:33:38,630 and and and let them fall by their 892 00:33:38,630 --> 00:33:39,529 own counsel. 893 00:33:40,630 --> 00:33:42,710 Now, many Christians have have come to this 894 00:33:42,710 --> 00:33:44,549 verse here, and they they think to themselves, 895 00:33:44,549 --> 00:33:45,450 is this biblical? 896 00:33:45,904 --> 00:33:47,845 Should should a Christian pray imprecations, 897 00:33:49,105 --> 00:33:49,605 imprecatory 898 00:33:49,984 --> 00:33:50,484 prayers? 899 00:33:51,105 --> 00:33:53,024 Right? Did not Jesus tell us to pray 900 00:33:53,024 --> 00:33:53,924 for our enemies? 901 00:33:54,464 --> 00:33:56,065 I mean, last week, if you were with 902 00:33:56,065 --> 00:33:57,424 us, and if you go back and listen 903 00:33:57,424 --> 00:33:59,609 to the sermon, we we I I exhorted 904 00:33:59,669 --> 00:34:01,190 all of us here, and by way of 905 00:34:01,190 --> 00:34:03,589 David's example and Jesus's example to pray for 906 00:34:03,589 --> 00:34:04,169 our enemies. 907 00:34:05,029 --> 00:34:06,470 Psalm 4 did it, and it seems like 908 00:34:06,470 --> 00:34:09,690 there's a maybe a a a a hypocritical, 909 00:34:10,230 --> 00:34:11,369 application here. 910 00:34:11,885 --> 00:34:13,085 There's a there's a tension here that we 911 00:34:13,085 --> 00:34:15,744 see to make some people feel somewhat uncomfortable. 912 00:34:16,444 --> 00:34:17,905 Well, here's the short answer. 913 00:34:19,005 --> 00:34:21,484 You know, can we pray imprecatory prayers? The 914 00:34:21,484 --> 00:34:23,264 short answer is yes. 915 00:34:24,650 --> 00:34:25,150 However, 916 00:34:25,769 --> 00:34:27,869 we ought to always do the hard work, 917 00:34:28,010 --> 00:34:29,930 the hard work of hard work before we 918 00:34:29,930 --> 00:34:30,670 enter into 919 00:34:30,970 --> 00:34:31,470 imprecations, 920 00:34:32,489 --> 00:34:33,869 before we lift imprecatory 921 00:34:34,170 --> 00:34:34,670 prayers. 922 00:34:35,210 --> 00:34:37,369 And I think these three points here are 923 00:34:37,369 --> 00:34:37,869 helpful 924 00:34:38,375 --> 00:34:41,414 when we pray imprecatory prayers. 1st, before we 925 00:34:41,414 --> 00:34:42,714 ever arrive at 926 00:34:43,094 --> 00:34:43,594 praying 927 00:34:44,694 --> 00:34:45,355 an imprecatory 928 00:34:45,655 --> 00:34:47,194 prayer, we need to first and foremost 929 00:34:47,574 --> 00:34:48,635 pray for the restoration 930 00:34:49,014 --> 00:34:50,635 and repentance of our enemies, 931 00:34:51,210 --> 00:34:52,190 of God's enemies. 932 00:34:52,570 --> 00:34:54,650 In other words, before we pray Psalm 5, 933 00:34:54,650 --> 00:34:56,190 we ought to pray Psalm 4. 934 00:34:59,929 --> 00:35:01,769 It is far too easy for us to 935 00:35:01,769 --> 00:35:03,929 write letters, to send them off prayers of 936 00:35:03,929 --> 00:35:06,109 imprecation. We're we're very good at that. 937 00:35:06,714 --> 00:35:08,554 But it's also easy for us to to 938 00:35:08,554 --> 00:35:10,635 sin as well in doing that. We ought 939 00:35:10,635 --> 00:35:12,894 to be careful when we enter these. Secondly, 940 00:35:13,434 --> 00:35:13,934 impregatory 941 00:35:14,234 --> 00:35:17,034 prayers should never be an expression of our 942 00:35:17,034 --> 00:35:17,534 intent, 943 00:35:18,730 --> 00:35:20,650 right, of what we want to do. It's 944 00:35:20,650 --> 00:35:22,410 some form of letting God know about the 945 00:35:22,410 --> 00:35:24,110 way in which we are gonna retaliate. 946 00:35:24,969 --> 00:35:27,869 In other words, an impregatory prayer is asking 947 00:35:28,170 --> 00:35:30,010 of God and him alone to deal with 948 00:35:30,010 --> 00:35:32,110 his enemies as he sees fit. 949 00:35:32,885 --> 00:35:34,724 You're requesting to God, maybe this is a 950 00:35:34,724 --> 00:35:38,025 way in which you desire for them 951 00:35:38,324 --> 00:35:39,224 to be removed. 952 00:35:39,605 --> 00:35:41,525 It is a prayer that commits the enemies 953 00:35:41,525 --> 00:35:43,844 of God and his people into the Lord's 954 00:35:43,844 --> 00:35:46,025 hands because vengeance belongs 955 00:35:46,324 --> 00:35:48,105 to God alone, not us. 956 00:35:50,289 --> 00:35:52,530 We rest in God ultimately to either bring 957 00:35:52,530 --> 00:35:53,030 restoration 958 00:35:53,409 --> 00:35:54,230 or destruction 959 00:35:55,170 --> 00:35:57,889 to God's enemies. And 3rd, the heart of 960 00:35:57,889 --> 00:35:58,630 an imprecatory 961 00:35:58,929 --> 00:36:01,989 prayer is for the vindication of God's name, 962 00:36:02,449 --> 00:36:03,190 not ours. 963 00:36:04,235 --> 00:36:06,315 That is to say God's name, his glory, 964 00:36:06,315 --> 00:36:08,155 his honor is the reason why we pray 965 00:36:08,155 --> 00:36:08,655 this. 966 00:36:09,515 --> 00:36:10,175 For example, 967 00:36:10,474 --> 00:36:11,775 David says in Psalm 968 00:36:12,795 --> 00:36:14,015 9 verse 20, 969 00:36:14,474 --> 00:36:16,875 put this put put them in fear, oh 970 00:36:16,875 --> 00:36:17,375 Lord. 971 00:36:17,914 --> 00:36:18,894 Let the nations, 972 00:36:19,640 --> 00:36:22,119 those that are against Israel, let the nations 973 00:36:22,119 --> 00:36:24,059 know that they are but men. 974 00:36:25,800 --> 00:36:28,300 He's asking for God to humble them. 975 00:36:28,760 --> 00:36:30,860 Look what we're here with me, Psalm 83. 976 00:36:31,079 --> 00:36:33,875 Let them be put to shame and dismayed 977 00:36:33,875 --> 00:36:34,375 forever. 978 00:36:34,675 --> 00:36:36,215 Let them perish in disgrace. 979 00:36:36,755 --> 00:36:38,775 That they may know that you alone, 980 00:36:39,795 --> 00:36:41,255 whose name is Yahweh, 981 00:36:41,715 --> 00:36:43,974 are the most high over all the earth. 982 00:36:44,949 --> 00:36:46,090 Precatory prayers 983 00:36:46,550 --> 00:36:47,449 seek to 984 00:36:47,910 --> 00:36:49,050 establish God's 985 00:36:49,670 --> 00:36:50,170 justice, 986 00:36:50,710 --> 00:36:52,730 his righteousness upon all the earth, 987 00:36:53,429 --> 00:36:56,230 and seeks for for and foremost his name. 988 00:36:56,230 --> 00:36:58,150 David is not saying, you know, bring them 989 00:36:58,150 --> 00:37:00,090 shame and bring them into dismay 990 00:37:00,525 --> 00:37:01,744 to vindicate me, 991 00:37:02,284 --> 00:37:04,284 or because I'm awesome. It's more because you 992 00:37:04,284 --> 00:37:04,944 are awesome. 993 00:37:06,284 --> 00:37:07,724 And so with a heart for God and 994 00:37:07,724 --> 00:37:09,984 a love for neighbor, praying for those 995 00:37:11,244 --> 00:37:11,744 persecutors 996 00:37:12,045 --> 00:37:14,144 of the church to fall is okay. 997 00:37:14,719 --> 00:37:17,679 Prayers that request the removal of wicked rule 998 00:37:17,679 --> 00:37:20,179 upon this earth, and wicked laws is completely 999 00:37:20,719 --> 00:37:22,980 godly. Our desire should be for the establishment 1000 00:37:23,599 --> 00:37:25,920 of God's rule and justice, and for it 1001 00:37:25,920 --> 00:37:28,019 to come quickly. Every time we pray, 1002 00:37:28,400 --> 00:37:29,539 Lord, come quickly. 1003 00:37:31,005 --> 00:37:33,565 That, in effect, is somewhat an imprecatory prayer. 1004 00:37:33,565 --> 00:37:35,724 It's not only for the Christ to come 1005 00:37:35,724 --> 00:37:38,045 back and to relieve us and bring us 1006 00:37:38,045 --> 00:37:40,284 into his presence. It's also we we also 1007 00:37:40,284 --> 00:37:42,045 say that with the reality that when Christ 1008 00:37:42,045 --> 00:37:43,664 comes, he comes in judgment. 1009 00:37:44,679 --> 00:37:47,000 So that in itself is somewhat of a 1010 00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:48,380 form of a imprecatory 1011 00:37:48,760 --> 00:37:49,260 prayer. 1012 00:37:50,360 --> 00:37:53,340 Finally, read with me verses 11 through 12. 1013 00:37:53,480 --> 00:37:54,380 David writes, 1014 00:37:55,880 --> 00:37:58,940 let all who take refuge in you rejoice. 1015 00:37:59,614 --> 00:38:01,315 Let them sing for joy. 1016 00:38:02,094 --> 00:38:03,795 Spread your protection over them. 1017 00:38:04,094 --> 00:38:07,454 That those who love your name, exalt in 1018 00:38:07,454 --> 00:38:10,014 you. For you bless the righteous, oh lord. 1019 00:38:10,014 --> 00:38:11,635 You cover him with favor 1020 00:38:12,014 --> 00:38:13,875 as with a shield. 1021 00:38:16,670 --> 00:38:18,750 David, by way of example, reminds us of 1022 00:38:18,750 --> 00:38:19,889 one simple thing here, 1023 00:38:20,349 --> 00:38:21,969 that we ought to pray for people, 1024 00:38:23,150 --> 00:38:25,230 that we ought to pray for people. David 1025 00:38:25,230 --> 00:38:27,869 does not want the wicked to simply be 1026 00:38:27,869 --> 00:38:30,109 removed for his own pleasure, but rather for 1027 00:38:30,109 --> 00:38:31,804 the peace and joy of the righteous. 1028 00:38:32,505 --> 00:38:34,905 David wants the righteous to rejoice. He wants 1029 00:38:34,905 --> 00:38:35,885 them to sing. 1030 00:38:36,505 --> 00:38:37,885 He wants God to protect 1031 00:38:39,065 --> 00:38:41,224 the righteous like a shield in battle, which 1032 00:38:41,224 --> 00:38:43,164 was a shield that would cover the entire 1033 00:38:43,545 --> 00:38:45,659 body. He wants God to show favor to 1034 00:38:45,659 --> 00:38:48,079 them, to to bless them in their distress. 1035 00:38:49,420 --> 00:38:51,260 And dear saints, do we pray for the 1036 00:38:51,260 --> 00:38:52,480 joy and protection 1037 00:38:53,500 --> 00:38:55,359 of our brothers and sisters in Christ? 1038 00:38:58,905 --> 00:39:01,144 In our prayers, do we think about our 1039 00:39:01,144 --> 00:39:02,364 brothers and sisters? 1040 00:39:03,385 --> 00:39:05,385 Do we care enough to pray for their 1041 00:39:05,385 --> 00:39:06,845 desires and their needs? 1042 00:39:08,585 --> 00:39:10,985 Do we pray do we do we hesitate 1043 00:39:10,985 --> 00:39:12,345 to pray for the church? Do we do 1044 00:39:12,345 --> 00:39:14,159 it often? And when we do, what do 1045 00:39:14,159 --> 00:39:15,059 we pray for? 1046 00:39:17,199 --> 00:39:18,820 Open up one of Paul's letters. 1047 00:39:19,519 --> 00:39:21,599 You will find that often at the opening, 1048 00:39:21,599 --> 00:39:22,339 he is 1049 00:39:23,039 --> 00:39:23,539 telling 1050 00:39:24,159 --> 00:39:26,000 those churches the way in which he is 1051 00:39:26,000 --> 00:39:28,135 praying for them. And it's magnificent. If you 1052 00:39:28,135 --> 00:39:29,674 look at Colossians chapter 1, 1053 00:39:29,974 --> 00:39:32,454 verses 9 through 10, it's one of my 1054 00:39:32,454 --> 00:39:33,835 favorite. Paul writes, 1055 00:39:34,135 --> 00:39:36,214 and so for from the day we heard, 1056 00:39:36,214 --> 00:39:37,034 we have not 1057 00:39:37,335 --> 00:39:39,590 ceased to pray for you, asking that you 1058 00:39:39,590 --> 00:39:41,750 may be filled with the knowledge of his 1059 00:39:41,750 --> 00:39:43,849 will and all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 1060 00:39:44,550 --> 00:39:46,469 So that as to walk in a manner 1061 00:39:46,469 --> 00:39:49,929 worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing him. 1062 00:39:50,630 --> 00:39:52,809 Paul is praying for the church in Colossi 1063 00:39:52,949 --> 00:39:54,944 to be filled with the knowledge 1064 00:39:55,244 --> 00:39:56,844 so that they may walk in a manner 1065 00:39:56,844 --> 00:39:58,864 that is worthy and pleasing to God. 1066 00:40:00,605 --> 00:40:02,224 When we pray for one another, 1067 00:40:02,684 --> 00:40:04,924 let us ask for God to fill the 1068 00:40:04,924 --> 00:40:07,424 Willans Reformed Church with the knowledge 1069 00:40:07,885 --> 00:40:09,824 of the will and wisdom of God. 1070 00:40:11,349 --> 00:40:13,829 And that it may produce in us a 1071 00:40:13,829 --> 00:40:14,329 spiritual 1072 00:40:14,710 --> 00:40:17,429 maturation that would lead to all of us 1073 00:40:17,429 --> 00:40:19,530 living a life that is worthy and pleasing 1074 00:40:19,909 --> 00:40:20,969 to the Lord. 1075 00:40:21,429 --> 00:40:23,364 We need to have a prayer list. We 1076 00:40:23,364 --> 00:40:24,585 need to keep in touch 1077 00:40:24,885 --> 00:40:27,045 with our brothers and sisters in this church. 1078 00:40:27,045 --> 00:40:29,045 For those who are struggling, and they're suffering, 1079 00:40:29,045 --> 00:40:31,605 and need prayer communicated to your brother and 1080 00:40:31,605 --> 00:40:33,844 sister, we want to know. We want to 1081 00:40:33,844 --> 00:40:34,744 pray for you. 1082 00:40:35,960 --> 00:40:37,420 We need to pray for, 1083 00:40:38,119 --> 00:40:40,299 Juan Carlos and Nolan and our elders. 1084 00:40:40,760 --> 00:40:42,599 They may have wisdom to execute the things 1085 00:40:42,599 --> 00:40:44,359 that they need to execute. That they may 1086 00:40:44,359 --> 00:40:46,440 be guided by the spirit, by the by 1087 00:40:46,440 --> 00:40:48,119 the law of God. We need to also 1088 00:40:48,119 --> 00:40:49,260 pray for our children 1089 00:40:50,255 --> 00:40:52,175 as we're teaching, that they would mature as 1090 00:40:52,175 --> 00:40:52,675 well. 1091 00:40:53,215 --> 00:40:54,914 That we'd come to a deeper understanding 1092 00:40:55,535 --> 00:40:58,094 of the gospel. Dear saints, prayer is such 1093 00:40:58,094 --> 00:40:59,074 a powerful weapon. 1094 00:40:59,614 --> 00:41:00,434 Martin Luther 1095 00:41:00,974 --> 00:41:02,594 famously wrote that prayer 1096 00:41:03,619 --> 00:41:05,480 is the mightiest of all weapons 1097 00:41:06,019 --> 00:41:07,800 that created nature can wield. 1098 00:41:08,660 --> 00:41:11,320 Prayer is the mightiest of all weapons 1099 00:41:11,940 --> 00:41:14,739 that created nature can wield. And with that 1100 00:41:14,739 --> 00:41:16,280 said, let us now 1101 00:41:17,059 --> 00:41:18,039 turn to prayer. 1102 00:41:18,875 --> 00:41:21,594 Dear heavenly father, we thank thank you so 1103 00:41:21,594 --> 00:41:23,054 much for your word. 1104 00:41:23,835 --> 00:41:25,534 Lord, help us in our 1105 00:41:25,914 --> 00:41:26,414 prayers. 1106 00:41:27,034 --> 00:41:28,335 Lord, help us to 1107 00:41:28,954 --> 00:41:31,114 adore you and them to give you thanks 1108 00:41:31,114 --> 00:41:33,135 and praise for the wonderful works 1109 00:41:33,699 --> 00:41:35,699 that you have done in history and that 1110 00:41:35,699 --> 00:41:36,599 which you will 1111 00:41:37,300 --> 00:41:39,160 most surely do in the future. 1112 00:41:39,780 --> 00:41:41,940 Lord, help us pray for our neighbors, Lord. 1113 00:41:41,940 --> 00:41:43,860 Help us to pray in such a way 1114 00:41:43,860 --> 00:41:45,320 that we would desire 1115 00:41:46,304 --> 00:41:49,105 for, your enemies to be put under your 1116 00:41:49,105 --> 00:41:50,164 feet for the establishment 1117 00:41:51,264 --> 00:41:54,304 of justice and peace and prosperity, Lord. Let 1118 00:41:54,304 --> 00:41:56,304 us pray for our missionaries, wherever they may 1119 00:41:56,304 --> 00:41:56,804 be. 1120 00:41:57,505 --> 00:41:59,505 Lord, help us just as a church, as 1121 00:41:59,505 --> 00:42:02,250 the Williams Reformed Church, learn how to pray, 1122 00:42:02,250 --> 00:42:04,590 Lord. Help us in our discipline, 1123 00:42:04,969 --> 00:42:06,989 spiritual discipline of prayer, Lord. 1124 00:42:07,289 --> 00:42:08,969 We ask all these things in the name 1125 00:42:08,969 --> 00:42:09,630 of Christ. 1126 00:42:10,090 --> 00:42:10,590 Amen.