1 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:16,040 I don't think there's anywhere you can go where you can escape a 2 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:18,160 commentary on society. 3 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:23,600 We hear it on the radio and like me, maybe you've gone through 4 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:26,520 quite a number of radios because somehow you find yourself 5 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:30,200 between nine and half ten in the morning on Radio Ulster, lifting 6 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:32,690 your radio and throwing it out the window. 7 00:00:34,370 --> 00:00:38,930 No harm to Stephen Nolan, but he does like to stir the pot. 8 00:00:39,570 --> 00:00:43,090 We see it on our televisions, we're bombarded by it. 9 00:00:44,130 --> 00:00:49,650 And now we see increasing stations wanting to counter what 10 00:00:49,650 --> 00:00:53,370 they believe is factually incorrect or that there's another 11 00:00:53,370 --> 00:00:54,290 story to tell. 12 00:00:55,010 --> 00:00:59,870 We read opinion pieces in the newspaper and we're bombarded with 13 00:00:59,950 --> 00:01:02,830 opinion on social media. 14 00:01:03,070 --> 00:01:07,150 And we must remember social media, that's what it is, opinion. 15 00:01:08,350 --> 00:01:12,350 And if someone doesn't like something, then we hear about it. 16 00:01:12,990 --> 00:01:16,230 And if the government, either in Westminster or Stormont, does 17 00:01:16,230 --> 00:01:19,750 something that we don't like, then it's not only an opinion that's 18 00:01:19,750 --> 00:01:22,990 given to us, there's also normally a solution offered about 19 00:01:23,070 --> 00:01:27,200 how it could be done better by the person who's talking to us. 20 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:30,720 And we often hear phrases of those politicians. 21 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:34,240 Then, after a bit of commentary, we hear the person saying, 22 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:35,520 if only. 23 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:41,240 Now, there's nothing wrong with having an opinion, nor is it 24 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:45,600 wrong to have a political conviction, but we must always be 25 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:49,440 aware that there will be people that will disagree with us 26 00:01:50,090 --> 00:01:51,530 as well as those who will agree. 27 00:01:52,490 --> 00:01:56,730 And if we were in charge of the country for a day, a whole day, 28 00:01:56,730 --> 00:02:01,130 well, maybe even a whole week, what would you do first to fix it? 29 00:02:02,650 --> 00:02:05,849 If I were to give you all a postcard and write down what you 30 00:02:05,849 --> 00:02:09,290 do to fix the things that you think are broken, where would you 31 00:02:09,290 --> 00:02:09,610 start? 32 00:02:10,330 --> 00:02:11,210 Would it be health? 33 00:02:12,010 --> 00:02:12,890 Would it be education? 34 00:02:13,850 --> 00:02:15,130 Would it be infrastructure? 35 00:02:17,170 --> 00:02:17,970 Would it be the economy? 36 00:02:20,050 --> 00:02:22,970 You see, whenever you actually drill it down and you try to think, 37 00:02:22,970 --> 00:02:27,410 there's no one thing we can fix because they're all dependent 38 00:02:27,410 --> 00:02:28,290 on each other. 39 00:02:30,690 --> 00:02:34,450 You see, we all have a plethora of answers to how we might 40 00:02:34,450 --> 00:02:36,770 fix the country if we were in charge. 41 00:02:36,770 --> 00:02:39,730 But each of us here will have different priorities on how to lead 42 00:02:39,730 --> 00:02:41,970 a country based on what we think is broken. 43 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:47,240 But if we were to start with a blank page and make a country from 44 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:49,800 scratch, what would it look like? 45 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:54,240 And, of course, that's what happened 250 years ago, because you 46 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:57,440 cannot have ignored the celebration of treason. 47 00:02:57,440 --> 00:02:58,760 Sorry, I mean freedom. 48 00:02:58,920 --> 00:03:04,600 That America is celebrating this weekend, Independence Day. 49 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:07,080 But more importantly, 250 years. 50 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:09,030 I did think about this. 51 00:03:09,510 --> 00:03:14,310 If I live another 50 years and America celebrates its 300th anniversary, 52 00:03:14,630 --> 00:03:18,630 I will have been alive for a third of the history of America. 53 00:03:20,230 --> 00:03:23,390 And as King Charles said when he spoke to the House of Representatives, 54 00:03:23,390 --> 00:03:25,110 for us, that's just yesterday. 55 00:03:26,870 --> 00:03:32,070 But they had the opportunity 250 years to rip up what was society, 56 00:03:32,470 --> 00:03:34,070 to begin something new. 57 00:03:34,070 --> 00:03:35,430 And that's exactly what they did. 58 00:03:35,430 --> 00:03:40,300 Because in 1776, our American brothers and sisters had to figure 59 00:03:40,300 --> 00:03:43,820 out what a new country looked like, because they knew that they 60 00:03:44,060 --> 00:03:48,140 didn't want to be ruled in the style of a British crown, nor a system 61 00:03:48,140 --> 00:03:48,700 like it. 62 00:03:49,580 --> 00:03:54,460 And although the names are not very familiar to us, there were many 63 00:03:54,540 --> 00:03:58,860 Irish Presbyterians who worked on constructing what a new nation 64 00:03:58,860 --> 00:04:02,540 would look like based on the Presbyterian form of church government. 65 00:04:03,610 --> 00:04:06,250 So if you have American relatives and they want to know why 66 00:04:06,250 --> 00:04:09,050 it's all gone wrong, you blame the Irish Presbyterians. 67 00:04:10,170 --> 00:04:15,650 Because you have to remember back to 1776, Presbyterians were 68 00:04:15,650 --> 00:04:19,810 persecuted by the ruling classes on these islands, even the 69 00:04:19,810 --> 00:04:20,730 British crown. 70 00:04:21,530 --> 00:04:23,410 We couldn't worship in buildings. 71 00:04:23,410 --> 00:04:24,890 We couldn't worship in freedom. 72 00:04:24,890 --> 00:04:28,330 We had to go and hide under trees and in forest and fields. 73 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:33,160 So for the opportunity to put in place religious freedom was a 74 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:37,480 key part of the constitutional documents of the United States of 75 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:38,160 America. 76 00:04:39,360 --> 00:04:41,920 Now, you may wonder, why is he going on about this? 77 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:45,120 Is he really wanting us to celebrate America? 78 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:47,440 250 well, that's your own choice. 79 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:51,760 But the reason why I said is because whenever we come to Psalm 80 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:58,790 72, we see exactly a blueprint of what a society should be like. 81 00:04:59,670 --> 00:05:01,870 It is the last of the psalms of book two, as I said. 82 00:05:01,870 --> 00:05:05,590 And as verse 20 tells us in the last of these, it's the last 83 00:05:05,590 --> 00:05:07,990 prayers of David, son of Jesse. 84 00:05:07,990 --> 00:05:11,990 But this psalm presents to us what a good country is to be like. 85 00:05:12,790 --> 00:05:15,750 And it is about the one who leads the people. 86 00:05:17,190 --> 00:05:21,750 This is a prayer for the king, whoever will rule on David's throne. 87 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:26,640 Well, they are the earthly regent over God's people. 88 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:30,040 And as this psalm is written, it's Solomon who's on the throne. 89 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:33,800 And it may have been used even at his coronation as a prayer for 90 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:35,400 godly rule over Israel. 91 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:39,720 And although it is a prayer that reflects the ideal concept of 92 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:43,200 the king and the glorious effects of that king's reign under 93 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:46,880 God, it also points us to the Messiah's righteous rule. 94 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:50,920 For no human king could, and by the way, no human king ever did 95 00:05:51,450 --> 00:05:52,730 live up to this standard. 96 00:05:53,130 --> 00:05:56,170 And in the world in which we live today, no king or president 97 00:05:56,170 --> 00:05:59,050 or prime minister has ever been able to do that. 98 00:05:59,610 --> 00:06:03,810 So the first thing we see in this psalm is that the king of God's 99 00:06:03,810 --> 00:06:06,970 people is to be a righteous king. 100 00:06:08,250 --> 00:06:11,770 And we all want good leaders who rule well and do what is right 101 00:06:11,770 --> 00:06:12,570 for all people. 102 00:06:13,210 --> 00:06:17,840 I have to say that's one of the things we can admire about the 103 00:06:17,840 --> 00:06:22,000 United States Constitution in its very foundational documents. 104 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:25,600 It was the right of all, whoever they may be. 105 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:30,080 But that's no easy task to balance the right for all. 106 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:37,440 Paul writes in Romans 3:10, 11, quoting Psalm 14:1 3, as it is 107 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:40,240 written, there is no one righteous, not even one. 108 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:43,200 There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. 109 00:06:44,110 --> 00:06:48,750 You see, even if you want a righteous king, it's difficult because 110 00:06:48,750 --> 00:06:51,030 Paul is quoting to us here what the psalmist has already said 111 00:06:51,030 --> 00:06:53,070 and what the psalmist already is, no, there's none righteous. 112 00:06:53,070 --> 00:06:53,790 No, not one. 113 00:06:54,910 --> 00:06:58,390 So this prayer is a sincere prayer that it's not an answer of 114 00:06:58,390 --> 00:07:00,110 human workings. 115 00:07:00,670 --> 00:07:04,990 It's an answer by God to make God's king righteous before the people. 116 00:07:06,030 --> 00:07:10,400 There's never going to be a ruler who will truly be great nor 117 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:10,840 righteous. 118 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:12,560 Trace the story of history and all. 119 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:17,120 They've been good leaders, but there's always been decisions that 120 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:20,400 they've made that have been for personal gain or party politics 121 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:23,440 and the pressure that the party has where it's about the party's 122 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:25,440 good rather than the nation's good. 123 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:29,440 No one has ever governed truly for the good of all. 124 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:35,320 That's why verse one prays, endow the king with your justice, 125 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:38,750 O God, the royal son, with your righteousness. 126 00:07:39,390 --> 00:07:44,030 Righteousness and the ability to lead God's people well can't come 127 00:07:44,030 --> 00:07:47,470 from human practice, but only from God himself. 128 00:07:48,110 --> 00:07:51,070 It's only the Lord's righteousness that will enable a 129 00:07:51,070 --> 00:07:54,190 leader of his people to rule his way. 130 00:07:54,590 --> 00:07:57,750 And I know that the Psalms are to be sung, but this one is to be 131 00:07:57,750 --> 00:07:58,750 sung as a prayer. 132 00:07:59,710 --> 00:08:02,950 And so as we go through each of these, as we think of a righteous 133 00:08:02,950 --> 00:08:07,850 king, I wonder, do you pray for people in power over us that 134 00:08:07,850 --> 00:08:10,810 they will be righteous under God, not by their own practice and 135 00:08:10,810 --> 00:08:12,090 making, but by God? 136 00:08:13,930 --> 00:08:17,490 Because we cannot complain about them if we're not bringing 137 00:08:17,490 --> 00:08:18,570 them before the Lord. 138 00:08:19,690 --> 00:08:22,890 And so it is to him that we must look. 139 00:08:23,690 --> 00:08:27,850 Well, the second mark that Psalm 72 gives us is about a defending 140 00:08:27,930 --> 00:08:30,970 king, a king who will defend the cause of the needy. 141 00:08:31,210 --> 00:08:35,890 And every society has both its rich and its poor, and it's needy. 142 00:08:35,890 --> 00:08:39,050 And by the standard of this psalm, a good ruler will be judged 143 00:08:39,050 --> 00:08:42,010 on how well they look after the needy in their land. 144 00:08:42,570 --> 00:08:46,050 Verse 3 tells us of the prosperity of the land, how it has 145 00:08:46,050 --> 00:08:48,250 become wealthy because of God's blessing. 146 00:08:48,810 --> 00:08:52,010 And because of this, the expectation is given to us in verse 147 00:08:52,010 --> 00:08:55,370 four of what will happen because of the wealth of the nation. 148 00:08:56,090 --> 00:08:59,850 We read there, he will defend the afflicted among the people and 149 00:08:59,850 --> 00:09:01,770 save the children of the needy. 150 00:09:01,990 --> 00:09:03,750 He will crush the oppressor. 151 00:09:04,310 --> 00:09:07,630 So rather than being exclusively on the side of the wealthy, 152 00:09:07,630 --> 00:09:10,910 who can flatter and who can influence the king and take advantage 153 00:09:10,910 --> 00:09:15,270 of those who are poor, he will take a stand to protect the needy 154 00:09:15,270 --> 00:09:16,470 from exploitation. 155 00:09:17,270 --> 00:09:21,590 He will feed them, he will clothe them, he will give them shelter, 156 00:09:21,590 --> 00:09:24,870 all of which has been provided by God's blessing upon the abundance 157 00:09:24,870 --> 00:09:25,430 of the land. 158 00:09:25,990 --> 00:09:30,480 And his protection is not simply financial, but he will crush 159 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:31,240 the oppressor. 160 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:34,720 Therefore, it's legal, a legality that will ensure that their 161 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:38,760 exploiters are punished, because he will truly crush them. 162 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:43,960 So this is a king whom all people want for in his rule, because 163 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:48,960 he will ensure that everyone is cared for by the abundant blessing 164 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:50,280 of God upon the land. 165 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:54,240 This will then lead to the Lord's blessing on his reign. 166 00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:58,820 As verse five tells us, he will reign as long as the sun, as 167 00:09:58,820 --> 00:10:01,500 long as the moon, through all generations. 168 00:10:02,460 --> 00:10:07,900 And so, as we look to a king who will reign well, we must pray 169 00:10:08,620 --> 00:10:12,740 that indeed our rulers will defend the needy, that we will follow 170 00:10:12,740 --> 00:10:14,980 their example to defend the needy. 171 00:10:14,980 --> 00:10:20,380 Likewise, that as our God of justice, as he has wrought out his 172 00:10:20,380 --> 00:10:24,290 justice, so we will stand for the justice of the peoples all around 173 00:10:24,290 --> 00:10:24,650 us. 174 00:10:25,530 --> 00:10:34,810 We will do what is biblically right and ignore the opinion of the 175 00:10:34,810 --> 00:10:35,130 world. 176 00:10:37,289 --> 00:10:42,010 Because as this king defends the needy, he is also a reigning 177 00:10:42,010 --> 00:10:44,810 king, giving us his authority to do so. 178 00:10:45,690 --> 00:10:50,330 Because these next verses pray for a blessed reign while the sun 179 00:10:50,730 --> 00:10:54,150 endures until the moon be no more, meaning always. 180 00:10:54,310 --> 00:10:58,870 And this extension of time beyond the lifespan of a mere mortal 181 00:10:59,030 --> 00:11:03,150 ultimately leads us to the conclusion that this psalm looks 182 00:11:03,150 --> 00:11:08,350 past Solomon and his immediate heirs, and ultimately to the Messiah, 183 00:11:08,350 --> 00:11:09,110 Jesus Christ. 184 00:11:09,750 --> 00:11:13,390 Because the heir of David serves as God's representative to 185 00:11:13,390 --> 00:11:17,390 the people and so is to be feared, that is to be honored and 186 00:11:17,390 --> 00:11:18,470 to be obeyed. 187 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:23,280 Along with verse 11, where we're told that all kings will bow 188 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:26,480 down to him and all nations will serve him. 189 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:30,600 This implies to us that the ultimate Davidic king is more than 190 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:31,040 a man. 191 00:11:31,680 --> 00:11:35,120 And of course, this should help David's heirs to love being 192 00:11:35,120 --> 00:11:39,640 honourable, to be kind, the kind of person who is an unmitigated 193 00:11:39,640 --> 00:11:41,720 blessing and refreshment to God's people. 194 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:45,370 Just like rain and Shars were in ancient Israel, their goal is 195 00:11:45,370 --> 00:11:49,290 to be the flourishing of the righteous those who love God and 196 00:11:49,290 --> 00:11:52,810 their neighbor faithfully, as the commandments directed the people 197 00:11:52,810 --> 00:11:53,330 to live. 198 00:11:54,050 --> 00:11:59,010 But sadly, as we know, the kings of Israel could never live 199 00:11:59,010 --> 00:11:59,970 up to this. 200 00:12:00,690 --> 00:12:05,490 They listened to the opinions of the world, and it was their downfall. 201 00:12:06,930 --> 00:12:13,140 You see, we are told to look to a king who reigns forever. 202 00:12:14,500 --> 00:12:16,020 That's no earthly nation. 203 00:12:16,660 --> 00:12:19,780 That's no earthly king or queen present or prime minister. 204 00:12:20,420 --> 00:12:23,460 It is only the sovereign Lord Jesus Christ. 205 00:12:24,020 --> 00:12:29,620 And so it is to him that we must pray that his reign and rule 206 00:12:30,260 --> 00:12:34,500 will be established among the nations that we will see a harvest 207 00:12:34,500 --> 00:12:35,380 of blessing. 208 00:12:36,110 --> 00:12:40,430 Because people turn to him because of his justice and because 209 00:12:40,430 --> 00:12:44,670 of his salvation, because that's where we head next about his 210 00:12:44,670 --> 00:12:45,310 sovereignty. 211 00:12:45,790 --> 00:12:48,790 Because the blessed reign of the king will extend beyond their 212 00:12:48,790 --> 00:12:52,870 borders, as verse 8 turns us to the realms of the king's rule. 213 00:12:52,870 --> 00:12:57,750 As he enjoys dominion from sea to sea, so he is a sovereign king. 214 00:12:57,750 --> 00:13:01,630 When we think of sovereignty, it's hard to go beyond who was our 215 00:13:02,180 --> 00:13:05,940 reigning monarch and the full extent of the empire of the British 216 00:13:05,940 --> 00:13:07,740 crown, Queen Victoria. 217 00:13:07,740 --> 00:13:11,980 And the statement was always made, the sun never set on Queen 218 00:13:11,980 --> 00:13:13,140 Victoria's empire. 219 00:13:13,540 --> 00:13:17,700 In other words, at some point in the day, the sun was shining on 220 00:13:17,700 --> 00:13:19,940 the realms of that empire. 221 00:13:19,940 --> 00:13:22,900 Of course, that empire came and it went. 222 00:13:24,020 --> 00:13:26,940 And so whenever we think of the sovereignty of a king, we're 223 00:13:26,940 --> 00:13:28,660 thinking of the extent of their rule. 224 00:13:29,690 --> 00:13:33,010 And in these next verses, the psalm explicitly looks beyond the 225 00:13:33,010 --> 00:13:35,850 borders of Israel to all the Gentile peoples. 226 00:13:35,850 --> 00:13:38,890 And this is a theme we see in Scripture again and again, particularly 227 00:13:38,890 --> 00:13:41,050 in Psalm 2, 10, 12. 228 00:13:41,290 --> 00:13:44,490 They reflect this sense of going into all the world, going to 229 00:13:44,490 --> 00:13:45,450 the Gentile nations. 230 00:13:45,450 --> 00:13:48,130 And we're told that by submitting to the Davidic king of 231 00:13:48,130 --> 00:13:51,650 God's choosing, the Gentile kings bring themselves and their 232 00:13:51,650 --> 00:13:56,660 people under God's own rule and therefore his blessing. 233 00:13:57,540 --> 00:14:01,300 And so these verses give examples of places in the world as 234 00:14:01,300 --> 00:14:04,260 the ancient Israelites knew it, with parts of the world standing 235 00:14:04,260 --> 00:14:05,380 for the whole of the world. 236 00:14:05,700 --> 00:14:09,860 Verse 8 tells us he will rule from sea to sea, and from the river 237 00:14:09,860 --> 00:14:11,060 to the ends of the earth. 238 00:14:11,460 --> 00:14:14,820 From sea to sea is as far as the land extends. 239 00:14:15,140 --> 00:14:20,260 The river is the Euphrates, that great eastern border of Israel, 240 00:14:20,630 --> 00:14:23,550 while the ends of the earth stretch out as widely as the world 241 00:14:23,550 --> 00:14:24,070 goes. 242 00:14:24,310 --> 00:14:27,310 And although in light of references to Tarshish and the distant 243 00:14:27,310 --> 00:14:30,310 shores in verse 10, the Israelite will naturally envision 244 00:14:30,790 --> 00:14:33,430 the stretches of the Mediterranean before them. 245 00:14:34,230 --> 00:14:37,830 And in speaking of desert tribes in verse nine and Sheba and 246 00:14:37,830 --> 00:14:41,830 Seba in verse 10, we're being pointed to inhabitants of the Arabian 247 00:14:41,830 --> 00:14:43,830 peninsula to the Horn of Africa. 248 00:14:44,630 --> 00:14:47,670 Beyond that land mass of Israel, the people are to look. 249 00:14:48,230 --> 00:14:51,350 And so this psalm allows the possibility that the kings of these 250 00:14:51,350 --> 00:14:54,070 lands might resist and be enemies. 251 00:14:54,310 --> 00:14:57,230 And therefore it prays that they would lick the dust. 252 00:14:57,230 --> 00:15:01,350 Verse 9 submitting themselves to the Lord's anointed in defeat 253 00:15:01,590 --> 00:15:04,710 and acknowledging him as the Lord's anointed king. 254 00:15:05,750 --> 00:15:08,390 You see, God's people were never to be an isolated people. 255 00:15:09,670 --> 00:15:14,430 The sovereign rule and reign of God is so that we may bring the 256 00:15:14,430 --> 00:15:19,590 Gospel to the corners of the earth, from sea to sea, to the river 257 00:15:20,070 --> 00:15:22,150 and to the land that stretches Beyond. 258 00:15:22,950 --> 00:15:26,630 And verse 8 is almost identical to the second part of Zechariah 259 00:15:26,630 --> 00:15:31,350 9, verse 10, which belongs to a passage that is explicitly Messianic. 260 00:15:31,590 --> 00:15:35,350 And since the psalm prays for the great Davidic king, it predicts 261 00:15:35,350 --> 00:15:38,070 the post exile prophet Zechariah. 262 00:15:38,390 --> 00:15:43,120 And so the prophet uses the words of this psalm pointing us to 263 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:46,960 the rule and reign of the Lord Jesus Christ, so that his good news 264 00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:51,280 of the gospel will spread just as God's people were to take it throughout 265 00:15:51,280 --> 00:15:52,160 every generation. 266 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:54,880 And so do we pray for the spread of the gospel? 267 00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:59,520 Do we pray for it in this area or whatever area is close to our 268 00:15:59,520 --> 00:15:59,840 heart? 269 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:01,960 Are we actively praying for it daily? 270 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:05,240 And you're welcome to join us at half seven on Friday morning, 271 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:08,480 on Tuesday morning down in the fellowship room that we can pray 272 00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:11,360 for this village and the surrounding areas, that they will 273 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:13,040 continue to respond to Christ. 274 00:16:13,950 --> 00:16:15,470 It's good to do this together. 275 00:16:17,150 --> 00:16:22,110 But please, please pray for gospel witness. 276 00:16:22,110 --> 00:16:25,910 Take our Pray Without Ceasing booklet and pray that back page over 277 00:16:25,910 --> 00:16:29,710 and over so that we will see a true harvest for the kingdom. 278 00:16:30,830 --> 00:16:33,830 Well, verses 10 to 12 return to what was mentioned in verse 4 279 00:16:33,830 --> 00:16:38,350 again, but give us fuller meaning as to this king who brings 280 00:16:38,350 --> 00:16:41,040 justice to the poor and the needy. 281 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:42,480 In other words, he's a king of blessing. 282 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:47,840 And we all like justice, but we all like justice on our own terms 283 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:50,720 because we like it when we are being justified. 284 00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:54,440 In other words, when we are right and someone else is wrong and 285 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:55,080 being punished. 286 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:56,400 That's how we like our justice. 287 00:16:56,400 --> 00:16:59,120 And we're quite quick to crow about it. 288 00:16:59,920 --> 00:17:01,200 Oh, I always knew. 289 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:04,400 Oh, I always knew this was going to happen. 290 00:17:05,360 --> 00:17:09,770 And so we're very quick to justify ourselves rather than to 291 00:17:09,770 --> 00:17:11,690 understand a king of blessing. 292 00:17:12,890 --> 00:17:16,410 See, we here have a king who's ruling over God's people, who will 293 00:17:16,410 --> 00:17:18,490 execute perfect justice. 294 00:17:19,130 --> 00:17:23,970 Verses 13 to 14 tell us that as the king hears the cries of the 295 00:17:23,970 --> 00:17:27,250 needy, he will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the 296 00:17:27,250 --> 00:17:28,090 needy from death. 297 00:17:28,250 --> 00:17:32,250 He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious 298 00:17:32,330 --> 00:17:34,250 is their blood in his sight. 299 00:17:34,910 --> 00:17:36,270 This is a king who cares. 300 00:17:36,830 --> 00:17:40,710 This is a king who is concerned about his people, not so 301 00:17:40,710 --> 00:17:44,950 that his name may be made great, but that indeed he will be 302 00:17:44,950 --> 00:17:46,590 the king that the needy need. 303 00:17:47,070 --> 00:17:49,830 And these verses describe first the people in society who are 304 00:17:49,830 --> 00:17:54,030 the most easily subjected to oppression and violence on the part 305 00:17:54,030 --> 00:17:56,190 of powerful nobles or regional lords. 306 00:17:56,590 --> 00:17:59,510 And the focus on these subjects of the king's rule finishes 307 00:17:59,510 --> 00:18:03,270 in verse 14 with the wish that the king would redeem the life of 308 00:18:03,270 --> 00:18:07,890 such vulnerable people to rescue them from harm so that they 309 00:18:07,890 --> 00:18:09,130 can live faithfully. 310 00:18:09,770 --> 00:18:10,490 And further. 311 00:18:10,570 --> 00:18:13,490 This great congregation of God's people is to pray that the 312 00:18:13,490 --> 00:18:17,370 king would hold the blood of these people to be precious and therefore 313 00:18:17,370 --> 00:18:19,850 not allow the powerful to shed it. 314 00:18:21,530 --> 00:18:25,330 You see, we perhaps can pray this for the rulers of this world, 315 00:18:25,330 --> 00:18:28,570 but we maybe need to pray it more for ourselves. 316 00:18:29,370 --> 00:18:32,810 That as this gives us the picture of Jesus who shed his very 317 00:18:32,810 --> 00:18:38,180 own blood to so that we can be saved, we will know his atoning work 318 00:18:38,180 --> 00:18:40,060 day and daily in our lives. 319 00:18:40,780 --> 00:18:44,060 As we look only ever to the Savior. 320 00:18:45,020 --> 00:18:49,260 And as this psalm begins its conclusion, in verses 17 to 15, we 321 00:18:49,260 --> 00:18:53,100 see that this king will be a blessing to the people. 322 00:18:54,220 --> 00:18:57,020 That leads to praise to the Lord. 323 00:18:57,420 --> 00:19:01,440 See, God's king is not just for the people of Israel, just as 324 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:04,880 the covenant was with Abraham in Genesis, he is to be a blessing 325 00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:05,960 to all peoples. 326 00:19:06,440 --> 00:19:09,960 Verses 15 and 16 speak of tribute that is brought to him by 327 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:13,000 Sheba and the abundant blessing of the Lord through the 328 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:16,519 annual harvest, telling us that not only will he receive good, 329 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:20,320 but that the bountiful harvest will remain plenty for Israel and 330 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:21,080 her neighbors. 331 00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:26,280 But it's in verse 17 that speaks of the blessing extended through 332 00:19:26,800 --> 00:19:27,360 his reign. 333 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:30,600 I seem to have lost verse 17 somewhere. 334 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:31,440 Is that it now? 335 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:33,840 May his name endure forever. 336 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:36,640 May it continue as long as the sun. 337 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:41,200 All nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him 338 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:41,600 blessed. 339 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:45,280 Words that we've sung because here we're seeing the Messiah as 340 00:19:45,280 --> 00:19:49,320 the final heir in the line of David, who will lead the people of 341 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:52,640 Israel into completing the great task of bringing the light 342 00:19:52,810 --> 00:19:54,880 of of the Gospel to all nations. 343 00:19:55,120 --> 00:19:59,040 And ideally the fruitful Israelite will yearn for the day 344 00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:03,520 and seek to let his or her own light shine for the sake of the world, 345 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:08,520 just as Jesus lays out for his followers in Matthew, chapter 5 and 346 00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:09,920 verses 14 and 16. 347 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:12,480 You're the light of the world, says Jesus. 348 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:14,640 A city on a hill cannot be Hidden. 349 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:17,280 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. 350 00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:20,920 Instead, they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone 351 00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:21,520 in the house. 352 00:20:21,610 --> 00:20:27,160 And in the same way, let your light shine before men that they 353 00:20:27,160 --> 00:20:31,840 may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. 354 00:20:33,760 --> 00:20:38,800 This psalm tells us who we as God's people are exactly to be. 355 00:20:39,360 --> 00:20:44,040 We are to be people who display his goodness and to display 356 00:20:44,040 --> 00:20:45,600 his love to the world. 357 00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:48,760 The children of Israel didn't always get it right. 358 00:20:48,760 --> 00:20:51,400 And in fact, as you read on further in the history, they got 359 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:52,640 it wrong most of the time. 360 00:20:53,450 --> 00:20:56,450 And you know, the truth is, we as believers today don't always get 361 00:20:56,450 --> 00:20:57,450 it right either. 362 00:20:57,930 --> 00:21:01,850 But this does not mean that we don't keep displaying in our lives 363 00:21:02,250 --> 00:21:07,210 Christ and pointing people to him rather than any righteousness 364 00:21:07,210 --> 00:21:07,930 of ourselves. 365 00:21:07,930 --> 00:21:11,490 Because this psalm is about lifting us beyond what people may 366 00:21:11,490 --> 00:21:12,410 accuse us of. 367 00:21:13,210 --> 00:21:17,490 It's lifting us beyond what people might say about us so that 368 00:21:17,490 --> 00:21:21,530 they will look to the only true King of kings and Lord of Lords, 369 00:21:22,950 --> 00:21:25,950 the ruling and reigning Lord Jesus Christ. 370 00:21:25,950 --> 00:21:28,470 And so a crescendo ends this psalm. 371 00:21:28,790 --> 00:21:32,870 It's a psalm of praise to God because it's outlined what a true 372 00:21:32,870 --> 00:21:34,710 king of Israel is to be like. 373 00:21:35,430 --> 00:21:37,350 And many of her kings failed. 374 00:21:37,910 --> 00:21:42,550 So there is only one king for her to look to, and that is the Messianic 375 00:21:42,550 --> 00:21:43,430 King of the Lord. 376 00:21:44,150 --> 00:21:48,710 This means for us today to know what true goodness and rule 377 00:21:48,710 --> 00:21:49,270 is like. 378 00:21:50,310 --> 00:21:52,310 And to do that we must look to Jesus. 379 00:21:52,790 --> 00:21:56,510 He is the only king who ever lived up to this lofty prayer that 380 00:21:56,510 --> 00:21:59,110 God's people prayed for hundreds and thousands of years. 381 00:21:59,670 --> 00:22:04,030 In him we see the supreme promises of God come to what is known 382 00:22:04,030 --> 00:22:06,230 as a climactic realization. 383 00:22:07,350 --> 00:22:11,030 He is the one greater than the Solomon to whom we believe. 384 00:22:11,030 --> 00:22:13,110 This psalm was first prayed over. 385 00:22:14,070 --> 00:22:19,560 Luke 11:31 tells us that Christ is the greater Solomon, that 386 00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:23,920 he is the only king of true justice and the true deliverer of 387 00:22:23,920 --> 00:22:25,040 the needy in spirit. 388 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:29,360 He is the King that you and I need. 389 00:22:30,800 --> 00:22:33,920 So we may have our opinion about how this country should be 390 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:34,240 run. 391 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:38,160 Indeed, we may even idolize nations that have had the opportunity 392 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:42,800 to start on a blank page and now celebrate 250 years of existence. 393 00:22:44,150 --> 00:22:49,110 But America, along with our ideas of what a country should be 394 00:22:49,110 --> 00:22:52,870 like, will ultimately fail and disappoint, because the only true 395 00:22:52,870 --> 00:22:55,910 leader we are to look to is Jesus. 396 00:22:57,030 --> 00:23:02,510 Psalm 72 points us to the one who will endure forever last like 397 00:23:02,510 --> 00:23:06,950 the sun, he shall and will be the salvation blessing to all nations. 398 00:23:07,590 --> 00:23:13,230 And so today we are to look to him to know him as our Savior and 399 00:23:13,230 --> 00:23:19,830 Lord, so that we will live by his rule and know his reign as our 400 00:23:19,830 --> 00:23:22,990 assurance of an eternal home in heaven. 401 00:23:24,270 --> 00:23:29,870 Whichever kingdom you support, whichever kingdom you're loyal to, 402 00:23:31,550 --> 00:23:36,320 we must remember there is a greater one that we must seek for. 403 00:23:36,320 --> 00:23:40,960 Hebrews 12:20 it tells us of that kingdom, a kingdom for God's 404 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:43,680 people, that since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be 405 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:49,000 shaken, a kingdom that will not end, let us be thankful and so 406 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:53,320 worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. 407 00:23:55,240 --> 00:23:59,480 True worship of God for the eternal kingdom to come means to 408 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:02,820 love Jesus now and follow his ways. 409 00:24:03,460 --> 00:24:05,940 We may admire the kingdoms of this world. 410 00:24:05,940 --> 00:24:08,820 We may think the grass is always greener on the other side. 411 00:24:09,620 --> 00:24:13,460 We may think that we could do a better job in ruling this country. 412 00:24:14,500 --> 00:24:17,940 But any decisions we would make or any of our opinions will 413 00:24:17,940 --> 00:24:18,820 all pass away. 414 00:24:19,540 --> 00:24:23,060 And the only one that will remain is the truth of the gospel 415 00:24:24,100 --> 00:24:24,700 in Christ. 416 00:24:24,700 --> 00:24:26,980 We have received a kingdom that cannot be shaken. 417 00:24:27,500 --> 00:24:28,940 So let's put our trust in him. 418 00:24:29,420 --> 00:24:34,580 Let's block out the noise and let's live to his royal standard 419 00:24:34,580 --> 00:24:41,260 that he calls us to everlasting praise, hope and trust 420 00:24:41,900 --> 00:24:42,540 in Him. 421 00:24:43,900 --> 00:24:49,940 Come onto the Savior and celebrate life eternal today, in 422 00:24:49,940 --> 00:24:54,820 that we will receive a kingdom that is truly ours and will never 423 00:24:54,820 --> 00:24:56,420 be taken away from us. 424 00:24:57,460 --> 00:24:58,260 Let's pray. 425 00:24:59,300 --> 00:25:03,740 Our Father God, we thank you that as we read this ancient song 426 00:25:03,740 --> 00:25:08,060 of your people, it points us to what a true kingdom under God 427 00:25:08,060 --> 00:25:08,340 is. 428 00:25:08,980 --> 00:25:13,540 It points us to what it means to live well for Christ, to look 429 00:25:13,540 --> 00:25:16,260 to him and to block out what may distract us. 430 00:25:17,460 --> 00:25:20,020 But Father, we need to be vigilant of the times as well. 431 00:25:20,900 --> 00:25:23,980 We need to be mindful of what's going on so that we can respond 432 00:25:23,980 --> 00:25:25,060 in a biblical way. 433 00:25:25,860 --> 00:25:27,860 So help us to discern your word. 434 00:25:28,260 --> 00:25:32,740 Help us to be ever in prayer for the leaders of our nations as 435 00:25:32,740 --> 00:25:35,140 well as for our own lives and the lives of your people. 436 00:25:35,700 --> 00:25:40,380 That we will be faithful to you unto the end, and that we will 437 00:25:40,380 --> 00:25:43,780 know a true kingdom that will never be shaken. 438 00:25:44,580 --> 00:25:45,940 For that is your kingdom. 439 00:25:47,100 --> 00:25:50,540 And Father, thank you that you are making ready homes for us as 440 00:25:50,540 --> 00:25:52,860 your people who respond to Christ this day. 441 00:25:53,580 --> 00:25:56,780 So may we have that everlasting praise in our hearts 442 00:25:57,340 --> 00:25:58,940 and we ask it in Jesus name. 443 00:25:59,660 --> 00:26:00,300 Amen.