David's Resolution to Praise the Lord (Part 2)

Psalm 138. This is the Word of God. I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart. Before the gods I will sing your praise.

! I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness. For you have exalted above all things your name and your word. When I called, you answered me. You made me bold and stout-hearted.

May all the kings of the earth praise you, O Lord, when they hear the words of your mouth. May they sing of the ways of the Lord, for the glory of the Lord is great. Though the Lord is on high, he looks upon the lowly, but the proud he knows from afar.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life. You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes. With your right hand, you save me. The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me.

Your love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not abandon the works of your hands. But we're examining the 138th Psalm, a Psalm of David.

And last week, we saw the first two points. We saw his determined resolution. I will praise the Lord. I will speak well of him. And it was to be wholehearted praise.

And praise that is informed praise. Informed by the name and the word of the Lord. Who he is and what he has said. He is to be praised for his love and his faithfulness.

And the better we know this God and his word and his name, the more wholehearted and reverent will be our praise. And then it was also David's resolution to praise the Lord before unbelievers as well as believers.

Even for David, it meant praising him before pagan kings who cared nothing for his God and worshipped other gods. So my purpose in preaching this psalm is to so uphold the praiseworthiness of God.

That just like David, we would resolve with glad resolution to praise the Lord. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

And to do it here in church as we praise him in word and song. But also out there in the world. That we would praise him both when brought out of troubles.

And while still in our troubles. And we'll see that this morning in David. But then we saw that David's resolve to praise the Lord was immediately followed with his dependent prayer for boldness to do so.

And it was a prayer that God had answered. As verse 3 says, When I called, you answered me. You made me bold and stout-hearted. And that became another reason to praise the Lord.

And is it not a wonder that the living God actually listens to and answers our prayers? He cares for us that much. So let's keep resolving.

And let's keep praying to boldly speak of our wonderful Lord and his so great salvation. This morning we come to the last two points of the psalm.

Number three is David's ongoing testimony. And number four is his sure hope. So third, David's ongoing testimony. It's given here in verses 6 and 7.

And it's a testimony. David's personal testimony of God's ways. God's ways that he's learned both from Scripture and from his own experience.

And for this he resolves to praise the Lord. Notice what he's found in verse 6. Though the Lord is on high, he looks on the lowly. But the proud he knows from afar.

Our highly exalted God stoops low to care for the lowly. He is the high and lofty one.

The one who lives forever, whose name is holy. Who says, I live in a high and lofty place. He's majestic in holiness. He's awesome in glory.

He sits enthroned on high. These are the statements of Scripture. Showing us how transcendent he is. How other than us he is.

And yet, though he is high, he looks low. He looks on the lowly. Now, often when men are elevated in praise and esteem, exalted, they forget their roots and they ignore men of low esteem.

So they get elected and off they go to Washington. And now they're big shots. Too important to have anything to do with the little guys back home.

Until, of course, it's election time. Then they come back and promise them the moon. But they forget. And they only now would care for those of higher importance.

Not so are Lord. None higher. None stoop lower. And is it not a beautiful thing to see the Lord Jesus, our Lord Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords, stooping with loving concern for the poor and needy, the sick, the downtrodden, the disenfranchised, they overlooked, the ignored.

There is eating and drinking with despised tax collectors and sinners, prostitutes, thieves and robbers, the losers of this world.

And then there's that blind beggar, Bartimaeus. Nobody's got time for him. And he's sitting alongside the road begging.

And as Jesus is passing by with a large crowd, he learns that it's Jesus. And he cries out, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. And many in the crowd rebuked him, telling him to shut up.

And he cried all the louder. As if Jesus has no time for such a blind beggar. But his cry for mercy entered the ears of the Lord of hosts and stopped him in his tracks.

He said, call him. And the man came. And he said, what would you have me to do for you? Me, the Lord of glory, to do for you, blind beggar.

Oh, Lord, that I might see. And he gave him his sight. And we don't think less of Jesus, do we, for stooping to men of low esteem.

We rather love him all the more for having done so. This is the very thing that's celebrated here. And in other psalms of David, Psalm 113 is another such psalm.

Let me just walk you through it quickly. Verse 4, he says, after saying, praise the Lord. Why? 113.4, the Lord is exalted over all the nations.

His glory above the heavens. Who is like the Lord our God? The one who sits enthroned on high. Who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth.

So he's so far exalted above the heavens and the earth. That in order to look upon the heavens and the earth. He must stoop down. Much like you would stoop down to look at an ant on the sidewalk.

Or one of those little red spider mites that are about the size of a dot on the page of your Bibles. He stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth.

So elevated is he. To look on the poor and needy. The lowly. Verse 7, he raises the poor from the dust.

He lifts the needy from the ash heap. That's stooping low. That's going to the bottom of the barrel. The ash heap. The trash heap. That's where he goes and looks and sees them to lift them high.

He seats them with princes. With the princes of their people. And he settles the barren woman in her home as a happy mother of children. You talk about stooping.

Stooping to know the yearnings of a barren woman. And to answer that longing with children. To make her the happy mother of children.

That's this great God stooping to the very desires. Think of Hannah. There she is childless. Mocked for her barrenness by her rival wife who has many children.

Her husband Elkanah not understanding at all. He says when he sees her depressed. Don't I mean more to you than seven sons? Elkanah you don't want to hear her answer to that right now.

Misunderstood by her husband. Misunderstood by Eli the priest. As she's praying and pouring out her heart to the Lord. And he thinks she's a drunk woman. Oh but the God exalted in heaven stoops down.

And hears her cry. And sees her longing and her desire. And gives her a son. Samuel. The prophet who anoints King David.

Well this is David's testimony. As he looks back over biblical history. These things were written to encourage us. And David's looking back.

And he can see this way of God. This is his habit. This is the way God is. Some of you have lived together. As husband and wife for 40, 50 years. You can finish each other's sentences.

Can't you? You know each other. You know their ways. And David knows something of the ways of God. By observing them. In biblical history. And it encourages him.

He's high. But he stoops low. And he stoops low to lift them high. He looks low to lift them high.

So he takes a lowly shepherd boy. And he makes him the king of Israel. He sees a poor young virgin girl. From nowhere's bill. Nazareth. And makes her the mother of Messiah.

And Mary's heart is so filled with praise. That she. Inspired by the Holy Spirit. Says in Luke 1. My soul magnifies the Lord. My spirit rejoices in God my Savior.

For he has been mindful of the humble state. Of his servant. He's looked down here. To my lowly state. And seen me.

And he's done great things for me. And then. Not only does she look at her own experience.

Of God's ways. But she too can look back. On biblical history. And she sees. That's just God's way. That's just the way he is. He has scattered those who are proud.

In their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers. From their thrones. But he's lifted up the humble. That's. That's your Old Testament. And she knew it.

That's. The Lord. Who is on high. Looking upon the lowly. But the proud. He knows from afar. And can we. Not say the same thing about us. Personally.

Our own personal experience. That he who is high. Has looked low. The Lord of glory. Saw us Gentile dogs. A breath away from hell.

And though he was equal. With God. The son was equal with God. He humbled himself. And became a servant. And became obedient. Unto death.

Even the death of the cross. To lift us. To heaven. To save us. He found us poor. And needy. Slaves. To sin.

And Satan. Blind to our need. Dead toward God. One breath away from hell. And he looked with pity. Upon us.

He looks low. And he said live. And we who are dead toward God. Became alive. And we repented.

And we trusted in the Savior. We were saved. Forgiven. Freed from our sins. By his blood. And made to be a kingdom of priests. Unto his God and Father.

He found us on the ash heap. And he raised us up with Christ. And seated us with him in the heavenlies. And Jesus promises in Revelation 3.21.

To him who overcomes. I will give the right to sit with me on my throne. Just as I overcame and sat down with my father on his throne. There to rule and reign with him forever.

He saw me plunged in deep distress. He flew to my relief. For me he bore the shameful cross. And carried all my grief. That's our Savior.

He was going to be a sinner. He was going to be a sinner. High. And looking low. Paul Warshier likes to say that God loves to take the runt of the litter. And make something of him. That God might be glorified.

Not many of you when you were effectually called to Christ. Were really somebodies in this world. That's what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1. God chose the foolish things. The foolish things of this world to confound the wise.

He chose the weak things of this world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly and despised nobodies to bring to naught the supposed somebodies of this world.

That's just his way. And David recognizes it. And when our text says in verse 6. Though he is on high.

He looks upon the lowly. The lowly not only describes their outward condition. But especially their view of themselves. They're not like the proud Pharisee in the temple.

Boasting that he's not like these other sinners. As if he deserves God's favor. But these lowly are like the humble tax collector.

That could not so much as look up to heaven. As to claim any merit before him. But beats his breast and says God be merciful to me a sinner. And Jesus says that man went home justified.

Not the other religionists. Because whoever exalts himself will be humbled. But whoever humbles himself. God looks and he lifts them up.

Exalts them. God says in Isaiah 66 too. This is the one I esteem. This is the one I look to with favor.

And think highly of. He was humble. And trembles at my word. They're the ones.

They're small in their own eyes. They're poor in spirit. They're often despised by the world as nobodies. Oh but Jesus says they're the blessed ones. Blessed are the poor in spirit.

They're the favorites of God. And not because of any merit in their humility. Just the opposite. By their humility they're saying I have nothing to claim. And all their trust is in Jesus.

Spurgeon says because they think little of themselves. He thinks much of them. Because they're low in their own esteem. He holds them in high esteem.

What a king we have. He is drawn. He is attracted to the poor in spirit. And he looks to them. And he cares for them. And he lifts them up. Who would not love him?

Who would not serve him? Now David. We don't know when. When he writes this. He may have been a king elect. Anointed. But still not enthroned.

Or maybe even. Once he was on the throne. But listen to how he speaks in Psalm 40. In verse 17. As for me. I am poor and needy.

Now he might have had a palace filled with riches. But his view of himself. I am poor and needy. Yet.

The Lord thinks. On me. He sees poor and needy me. He's thinking of poor and needy me.

He's caring for poor and needy me. And he's lifting me up. Upholding me. That's why David can say in Psalm 8. When I consider the heavens.

The work of your fingers. The moon and stars that you've set in place. What is man that you're mindful of him? That you even think of him. Much less that you would care for him. This is our King Jesus.

A Savior who stooped. To become poor. To make us poor ones rich. He looks on the lowly. He cares for what you care about. And urges you to cast your cares on him.

That son. That daughter of yours. He cares about them. That grandchild. That health problem. That financial concern. That pressing deadline. That difficulty at work.

That tension in that relationship. That worrisome care. And yes. You young children. That love the Lord Jesus. He cares about your troubles. And worries as well. The one who sits on his lofty throne.

Ruling the universe. Looks low. Don't you want to praise him for that? David resolved to praise the Lord. But there's more to his testimony.

For which he praises the Lord. Verse 7. He goes on. Though I walk in the midst of trouble. You preserve my life. You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes. With your right hand.

You save me. He can talk about his own life. And his present life. As he is walking. Present tense. In the midst of trouble.

If any man walks surrounded by trouble. David did. Didn't he? He's a perfect man to write such things. Trouble. Comes in many forms. And David had it.

All. How many times. Was his life within a whisker of being snuffed out. But God. On high. Was looking. And watching. And caring for David.

And at just the right time. He acted. With his mighty right hand. And saved him. Out of his. Trouble. He's tangling.

With a lion. And a bear. To protect his father's lambs. He's a boy. Facing down a. Giant. In a fight.

To the death. Three times. He's dodging spears. In the palace of Saul. It was the Lord's right hand. That saved him.

That delivered him. How many times. David fought. Israel's enemies. Saul has killed his thousands. David. His tens of thousands. I don't know.

That was an exaggeration. But he killed a lot of people. In battle. And it wasn't from a ship. Far off. Sending a missile. It was. Hand to hand. Combat. And one arrow.

One. Thrust of a spear. Or a sword. And he's gone. But he's not gone. And David. Says it's because. You stretched out your hand.

Against the anger. Of my foes. And with your right hand. You saved me. Once in battle. He was so weary. And was just about. To be slain. When one of his mighty men.

Saw his predicament. And rushed in. And saved his life. Just in the nick of time. And it so shook the men. That they said. No more. You won't come and fight anymore. You stay home. We'll fight.

Instead of you. Another time. When Saul and his army. Were chasing David. On a mountain. Just as. Saul was closing in on David. And just about to swallow him alive.

News came. To King Saul. The Philistines are in the land. Oh. So he turns around. And he leaves David. To run free. And he runs back. To take care of the Philistine problem.

And whatever the means. That God used. David looks behind the second cause. To the first cause. You preserve my life.

It was your right hand. That saved me. This poor man called. And the Lord heard him. He delivered him out of all. His troubles. Psalm 34.

David's testimony. But what about us. Brothers and sisters. Brothers. When are we not walking. In the midst of trouble. Have you lived a day of your life.

Not in trouble. I mean spiritual troubles. The devil and his hellish crew. Hates you. They want you in hell with them.

And if they can't do that. They'll make. They're out to make you miserable. The world. It's. It's alluring you. It's drawing. And attracting you. Out of the. Narrow way.

Into the broad way. And there's an enemy within. Indwelling sin. That likes what. They're offering. You live in trouble. You exist in trouble.

And then there's physical troubles. Terrorists and murderers. Stalking the land. Drivers. Being on the wrong side of the road.

Because they're busy with other things. Tornadoes. Floods and fires. Threats of war. Disease. Plagues. Troubles of all kinds. And yeah. Here you are.

Amazing. He's delivered you. From many. Troubles. And often. He. For every deliverance that we are aware of.

We may very well learn in heaven. That there were a dozen times that we were unaware of. That. That he was watching over us. And. We may not have seen it like David. That this guy's about to.

Behead him from the back. But God saw it and. Came and removed the threat. We don't know what kind of germs we were close to. And God protected us. What. What. Accidents on the roads.

He's. We don't know all that side. But. God is. Looking upon his. People. Who are poor. And needy. We. Are in.

Trouble. Physical. Spiritual. And he's the one who. Preserves our life. Renews. Our life. Revives. Our life.

He. He keeps us from falling. And when we fall. He renews. Our spirit. Of. Repentance. And faith. And he keeps us from falling. Completely away.

So that we just go off. And not follow him anymore. And often. As it says. That. With your right hand. You save me.

That right hand. Is his omnipotent power. Stretched out. To deliver. Us from our foes. To deliver us. Out of our troubles. And often. His right hand.

First. Sustains us. In the trouble. Sanctifies us. Through the trouble. And then. Delivers us. Out of them. But it's no small thing.

Just to be. Upheld. By his mighty right hand. In the trouble. What. What a mighty. Right hand. My soul. Clings to you.

But your right hand. Upholds me. David can say. And again. If the Lord. Had not been on our side. We would have been. Swallowed alive.

Psalm. Psalm 124. Amy Carmichael. Served the Lord. Among the poorest. Of the poor. In India. And she said. Many times. What we thought.

Would overwhelm us. Has not. Overwhelmed us. Why? Because there was. A stronger arm. That was looking out. For them. And is that not.

Your testimony. Brothers and sisters. That the Lord. Has been looking. Upon you. Seeing you. In your need. And flying. To your relief. Do you not.

Want to praise him. For that. Recently. I look back. Over the past. Eight years. Of life. Without my wife. And I was shocked. By how many troubles.

We have been in. My family and I. For eight years. It surprised me. And sometimes. When we're going. Through troubles. We don't see.

The big picture. And so it's. It's helpful. To step back. And to look. Back. Over eight years. Of our lives. And we not only.

Have seen. Many troubles. We have seen. The Lord. Deliver us. Uphold us. In those troubles. Sustain. And sanctify us. By those troubles.

And even deliver us. Out of them. And so I want to praise. The Lord. He has. Delivered me.

By his mighty. Right hand. But God's not only. To be praised. For past troubles. That you've been in. And been delivered from. He's. To be praised. For present trouble.

In the midst. Of present troubles. Right now. You still may be up to your chin. In trouble. And yet. Even now. You're to praise him. Will you resolve.

To do so. Not waiting. Till. The troubles. Gone. But. In it. Paul and Silas. Beaten and bloodied. For preaching. The gospel.

Locked in the inner stocks. In an uncomfortable position. At midnight. In a dungeon. In a dungeon. They didn't wait. For the Lord. To show up. Before they praised him.

At midnight. They prayed. And sang. Praises to God. And the prisoners. Heard them. But it wasn't. Just the prisoners.

Who heard them. It was God almighty. The high. And holy. One. And he acted. On their behalf. And shook. The place. With an earthquake.

That not only shook loose. The chains. On all the prisoners. But shook that. Jailer's heart. To make him cry. What must I do. To be saved.

And Paul says. Believe on the Lord. Jesus Christ. And you shall be saved. And he believed. And his. Household believed.

And they were baptized. They were saved. That night. But it was by. Paul and Silas. Singing. The praises of God. In the midst. Of trouble.

In the morning. Paul and Silas. Were set free. And escorted out of the town. As celebrities. But they didn't wait. Till then. To praise the Lord. Do you.

Do I. Or do we praise him. In the midst. Of trouble. That's what David. Would resolve. You know. When the Lord. Brought Israel. Out of Egyptian bondage.

Pharaoh and his chariots. Pursued them. They were surrounded. They were in the midst. Of troubles. Behind them. The oncoming. Chariots. In front of them. The Red Sea. They were in trouble.

But they were terrified. And rather than praising. The Lord. They complained. To Moses. Was it because. There were no graves. In Egypt. That you brought us. Into the desert. To die. What have you done.

To us. By bringing us. Out of Egypt. It would have been. Better for us. To serve the Egyptians. Than to die. In the desert. You know. God takes them. To task. In Psalm 107.

Your fathers. Did not remember. My many kindnesses. To them. He says. They rebelled. By the sea. The Red Sea. Yet.

He saved them. For his namesake. To make his mighty. Power known. He rebuked the Red Sea. And it dried up. He led them. Through the depths. As through a desert. He saved them. From the hand of the foe.

From the hand of the enemy. He redeemed them. The waters. Covered their adversaries. Not one of them survived. Then. They believed. His promise.

And sang. His praise. Then. On the far side. Of the Red Sea. Looking back. At all the. Carcasses.

The horses. And. Soldiers. Washing upon the shore. How much better. To have praised the Lord. On the near side. Of the Red Sea. In the midst of trouble.

Rather than. Complaining. You know. That's what Israel did. In 2nd Chronicles 20. A vast multitude. Of soldiers. Had come up. From a coalition. Of nations. Gathered against.

Judah. And King Jehoshaphat. Sought the Lord. Reminding the Lord. Of his promises. And saying. Oh our God. Will you not execute. Judgment on them. For we are powerless.

Against this great horde. That is coming. Against us. We do not know. What to do. But our eyes are upon you. What a different response. To the. To the troubles.

And God gives a message. To a Levite. And promises victory. To Judah. And. And the Levites stand up. And they praise the Lord.

With a very. Loud. Voice. This was all before. The deliverance. They had nothing. But a bare promise. Of God. And the battle plan.

Was simple. And the next morning. It wasn't the Marines. Who were the first. To go into the field. Of battle. No. It was a hallelujah. Choir. They went ahead.

Of the army. We're told. Singing the praises. Of the Lord. And when they began. To sing. And praise the Lord. The many enemy. Armies. Destroyed. Each other.

Spurgeon says. The victory always goes. To the hallelujah brigade. Let's learn from them. To resolve. To praise the Lord.

As we're walking. In the midst. Of our troubles. Even before. Deliverance. Comes. And that leads us. To the last point.

Point four. Of this. Text. And it's David. Sure hope. What a. What a beautiful note. To end on. His psalm. Here are further.

Reasons. Why he resolved. To praise the Lord. Even in the midst. Of his troubles. Three short statements. Verse eight. We'll take them. One at a time. And we're done. First of all.

The Lord. Will fulfill. His purpose. For me. He's looking. At trouble. And he can say. With calm. Sure. Assurance.

Hope. The Lord. Will. Fulfill. His purpose. For me. David knows. When the Lord. The great. I am.

The sovereign God. Purposes. To do something. No one. And not. No thing. Can stop him. The plans. Of the Lord. Stand.

Firm. Forever. The purposes. Of his heart. Through all generations. That's his testimony. He knows. His God. He knows. His promise. He knows.

His strength. Now our plans. And purposes. Can and do fail. Don't they? That's because. We don't control. All the variables. It may rain.

And it spoils. Our plan. For a picnic. We may get sick. And we can't. Carry out. What we said. We would do. But God. Is sovereign. Over all the variables. Over all. That he's made.

And therefore. His purposes. Cannot be thwarted. Even wicked. King Nebuchadnezzar. Was brought. To confess this. Remember. He confesses. That the God of Israel. Is the sovereign. Over all.

And says. That all the peoples. Of the earth. Are regarded. As nothing. Before him. He does. As he pleases. With the powers. Of heaven. And with the peoples. Of the earth. No one.

Can hold back. His hand. Our God. Says. My purpose. Will stand. I will do. All that I please.

What I have said. That will. I bring about. What I have planned. That will. I do. Can you hear. The Lord's own. Determinant. Resolution. It's a beautiful thing.

That we. We have God. Resolving. Promising. To do things. For his people. And here he is. I will. Do all. That I have. Purposed.

And that. Stirs. In David. I will. Praise the Lord. Then. In all my troubles. I have a God. Who's fulfilling. His purpose. Because he knows.

God's purpose. Has never failed. You know. He could say that. As a young boy. Tending his father's sheep. Not knowing. What God's purpose. Was for him.

In life. Young. Young people. Young children. You may not. Know at all. What God's purpose. Is for you. In life. But if you know God.

You can know that. His purpose. For you. Will be fulfilled. David. David could say it. When he was. Running for. For his life. From King Saul.

Just a step away. From death. For many many years. We get a tune in on him. When he's hiding in a cave. From Saul. In Psalm 57. 2. And this is his cry. I cry to you.

I cry to God. Most high. To God. Who fulfills. His purpose. For me. So if. Our God. Is God. Most high.

Then there is none. To thwart his purposes. In fact. If even one of God's purposes. Are thwarted. Then we don't have a God.

Who is most high. But having a God. Who's most high. None can stop him. When he purposes. Therefore. There's no wasted years.

For David. There's no wasted troubles. For David. All these years. On the run. Were part of God's purpose. For him. Being worked out.

And knowing this. Gave him a sure hope. Right in the midst. Of his troubles. He could say it. When his own son. Absalom. Was hunting to kill him. And steal the kingdom. From him. The Lord. Will fulfill.

His purpose. For me. Dear believer. However young. However old you are. You've not been dropped. Onto planet earth. Without a purpose. God has a purpose.

He knit you together for. And he will fulfill. His purpose for you. No one. And no thing. Can. Derail it. That means there's no wasted years. For you. There's no wasted.

Troubles. In your life. As if they slip past. God most high. Not at all. He never has. To shift. To plan B. For you. Because. No one's ever thwarted. His plan A.

Yes. His plan A. Has all those troubles. In it. For you.

You see. He's come to do you good. And to work all things together. For your good. Even your troubles. What a. What a way to live.

Confident assurance. The Lord will fulfill. His purpose for me. You can't see beyond today. It's all dark. You don't know what God's doing. In your life. But you know God.

And you know he's God most high. And he will fulfill his purpose for you. Don't you want to praise him for this? David did. The work which his goodness began.

The arm of his strength will complete. His promises are yea and amen. And never were forfeited yet. Things future. Or things that are now. Nor all things below or above.

Can make him his purpose forego. Or sever my soul. From his love. Ah. His love. His love. That's the next thing.

David's. Sure hope is anchored to. Your love. Oh Lord. Endures forever. Amen. You see. It's God's never ending love. For you Christian. That is the guarantee.

Of his purpose. Being fulfilled in your life. This love is a special love. That God has for his own people. It's chesed. It's covenant love. Whereby God says.

I will be your God. And you will be my people. And to them. He can say. Of that love. Your love. Oh Lord. Endures forever.

Forever. So. Have you thought. Christian. That God's purposes. Designed for you. From. Before the foundation of the world. They were designed in love.

In love for you. Tailor made for you. In love. He chose and predestined you. To be adopted as his children. Ephesians 1. 5. In love. He purposed to send his son.

To be damned on the cross. Instead of you. So that you must never be condemned. And. In love. His purpose. Was to send his Holy Spirit.

That while you were dead in your sins. He would bring you to life. I've loved you with an everlasting love. And therefore. With cords of love. Have I drawn you.

It's that same love. That is purpose. To surely follow you. With goodness and mercy. All the days of your life. And after that. To dwell in the house of the Lord. Forever. Jesus Christ.

Is the good shepherd. And who for love. Laid down his life. For his sheep. And he says. No one. Can snatch them from me.

No one. It's his jealous love. For them. That endures forever. Whoever wants to mess with you. Has to get through me first.

He says. No one will snatch them. Out of your hands. Nothing can separate you. From the love of Christ. It's a love that will not let you go. Having loved his own.

Who were in the world. He loved them. To the end. To the end. So brothers and sisters. His loving purpose for you. Is to get you all the way to heaven.

It's not just to get you part way. And then lose you. Not at all. And it's because his love for you will never fail. That his purpose for you cannot fail.

What will he not do for those he loves as his own? It's his loving heart that moves his almighty hand of power. To destroy your enemies.

To uphold you in your troubles. So that his purpose for you will be fulfilled. Maybe not your purpose.

But his. And his is always better. Than yours. Don't you want to praise him for that? He says at the end.

His last statement. He ends with a short prayer. Do not abandon the works of your hands. This is not a fearful David. Oh no. Is he going to let me go? No.

This is a David who's been soaking on the almighty hand of God. Exercise to bring about his will for my life. He's been soaking in this love that endures forever.

And rather than making him passive and saying well I don't need to pray about anything then. If God's so determined to get me there. No. It's God's power and love that stirs this prayer up in his heart.

And what is his prayer? Don't abandon the works of your hands. You see how he views himself? Christian what are you if not the works of his hands?

You didn't save yourself. You didn't give yourself a new heart. You didn't just wake up one day and say you know I'm going to become a Christian.

No. It was God who made you what you are. We are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus. And even men are proud of their workmanship.

What they do and create and produce. God is not about to dash his own workmanship. And there is the comfort that David can pray this reminding God of who he is.

I am your workmanship. Don't abandon your work. Finish it. Finish it. And he knows that God won't.

So he's reminding him not because he thinks God forgets. He's doing what he says in Psalm 119.49. Remember the word of your servant on which you caused me to hope.

This is my sure hope. Don't abandon the works of your hands. Don't walk away from your own handiwork. Don't let people say he wasn't able to finish what he started. Your own reputation is at stake here.

Do something for the sake of your name. That name that you have exalted along with your word above all things. Do not abandon the work of your hands. Well, let's praise the Lord.

That should stir us with praise. Should it not? That God would make us new creatures in Christ. If you're not a new creature in Christ, cry out to him out of your poverty. Say, I can't make myself a new creature.

Come and make me a new creature. He's a God who hears and answers that prayer of a humble cry. For mercy. Let's pray.

We thank you, Father, for the love that sent your son to die for us. We thank you, Lord Jesus, for the love that was willing to spare us and not spare yourself.

That we might be spared of everlasting condemnation. And we thank you, Holy Spirit, for coming to our hearts when we were sin locked in that dark dungeon. And you gave life to us.

And we rose. And we turned from our way. And we followed the Lord Jesus in faith and in love. And here we are. You have kept us. And have promised to fulfill your purpose for us.

Oh, how we thank you. Had we been left to ourselves, we would not be here singing your praise this morning. So we give you all thanks and all praise in Jesus' name.

Amen. How priceless is your unfailing love. Both high and low among men have found refuge in the shadow of his wings.

Go in the wonder of his love for you. Amen. Amen.