President, it is a delight to be with you. It has been, I think it was last year, this very weekend, that my wife and I had the privilege of being here in Richmond. Sometimes your pastor and I will do a pulpit swap kind of in the springtime as well, but with the situation in Rocky Mountain, both your pastor and myself having the privilege of filling in down there We had to forego that one. Well, I would ask you to open your Bibles, please, to Psalm 119 yet again. I did not realize you're using Psalm 119 for your call to worship as well. So you will certainly be focused on that Psalm again now. Before I begin, I must quickly fulfill my responsibility entrusted from the Brethren of Bluefield to relay greetings to you from your sister congregation up there in the mountains. We are grateful to God for your prayers for us and very much are privileged to know you as a sister congregation. Now, you are familiar with Psalm 119. You're reading through it, I take it, in morning worship by way of segments, so you know full well that these are the words of a man who truly loved God and therefore truly love God's Word throughout the whole psalm. We find him extolling God's law and giving praise to God for the truth that he has revealed to men. Well, we're focusing especially, at least by way of introducing our study this morning, on one statement in Psalm 119 and verse 128, which shows something of the extent of the psalmist's high esteem of God's Word. Notice now Psalm 119, verse 128. Therefore, all your precepts concerning all things I consider to be right, I hate every false way. The word precepts here, it has the Hebrew word, it's the idea of words of a superior. And so it would include God's commands, those authoritative statements. But it really is broader than that. It would include the moral instruction like that which we have in Proverbs. It would include those New Testament exhortations like we find in the epistles and so forth. So basically, all that God has given in his word, all that he has given to us is that which is to be done, how we act, how we speak, how we think. He says all of this concerning all things, it's deemed entirely right in its entirety. That's the point of it. Such high regard. And therefore he says, in the verse just preceding, therefore I love your commandments more than gold, yes, than fine gold. Finest gold? No, no, no, no. It's your word. It's your commandments. I treasure that even more. And so it is that we find him asking God repeatedly, instruct me, give me understanding. We won't take time to read even the verses that were read earlier by Dr. Crampton, but you find not only here but throughout this psalm. I think perhaps it's the most oft-repeated request in this particular psalm, Lord teach me or give me understanding or something to that effect because he had such high esteem of God's Word. And of course he wasn't simply saying fill my cranium with knowledge here, but rather he wants to know it that he might do it. Now I'm not going to take time to read verse after verse, but just notice for instance 133, direct my steps by your word. Dr. Crampton, is that New American Standard you were reading earlier? Okay, so it was establish my steps in your word, but either way, establish my steps in, direct my steps by, the point is, I want my whole walk to be in the context and governed by your word, and then he follows that quickly with, and let no iniquity have dominion over me. I want to know your word. I love your word. I want to do. your word, right? That's what we see throughout this song. And he said this even in a context where he was experiencing great difficulty. Throughout, he makes reference to persecutors, to oppressors, to the proud, or I think the trend new American standard renders it the arrogant. Here are people who dismissed God's word. Verse 126, time for you to act, O Lord, for they have regarded your law as void. I think it's they've not kept your law or they've broken your law. But the idea is they've just disregarded it. They've broken it. They didn't live by it. They just shoved it off as worthless. This isn't something. They've disregarded your law, that which is to be esteemed above the finest gold. And this is how they treat it. And so we find him. speaking elsewhere about having – in fact, it was read this morning by Our brother Bill, he was disgusted at those who reproach, or rather those who did not keep God's law. These people, they dismissed it. They just went their own way. They didn't keep it, he says here in verse 136, but rather, in their arrogance, they're following their own will, their own desires, sinful and self-serving God-haters. And perhaps that's one reason why they were his persecutors. that they hated God's way. He loved it and he was going to go in it. And even though he felt he faced such opposition, notwithstanding all of that, no, he would still love God's word and live by it. Can you relate to that? Does that describe you in any measure? Well, brethren, it does. If you're truly a Christian, this is part of Christ's saving work and giving us new hearts, hearts that love God's word and long to walk in that word, even though we know what it is to fail. Even though we, like the Apostle Paul, say, the good I would, I don't do, the evil that I would not, that I do. Yet we also say there in Romans 7 with the Apostle Paul, but I delight in God's law after the inner man or in the heart. I still, I delight in it, even though I fail always to live as I ought. There's that grappling with remaining sin. I find it very interesting that even here in the psalmist, Psalm 119, where he's extolling God's law, teach me, I want to keep it, keep me from any sin, yet very early on in verse 5 he says, oh, that I did keep it. He could say in verse 121 he did walk by these things, but at the same time he readily admits, oh, I wish that I did keep it yet more perfectly. Well, the point is, the Lord's people because of his saving work. They have something of this high esteem for God's law. And if this is foreign to your experience, if you don't care to know God's law, to do God's law, what does that say about you? Well, actually, you're one of those who are here described as the proud or the arrogant, because you're trusting your own smarts and you're choosing your own way above the way of your Creator, this God who's created and sustained you and done you great good. You're at war with Him, and I would simply ask in passing, now who's going to win that war? Who do you think? Well, the psalmist in verse 128 shows us that it's not ours to pick and choose. Concerning everything you've said, all your precepts about all things, I consider it all to be right. Not a case of, I like most of the directives, and I certainly like the passages that give comfort. But this business about lusting, I'm not too keen on that part. Or about not lying, I'm not too keen on that part. No, no, he understood. It's for us to take all of it in its entirety. It's all to be deemed right. It's all to govern our steps. Now I say all of that because we're really just introducing a subject that was preached recently in Bluefield, and your pastor thought perhaps it would be suitable here. In light of this matter of esteeming all that God has said about all things, and how it's to direct not only our steps, but also our words and our very thoughts, how have you responded to the results of that recent election. Now, it's been now a few weeks back. I preached this the Lord's Day right after the matter. But how have you responded? Because sadly, among many who are morally and politically conservative, those holding to what we might call traditional values, well, there's been a great deal of concern that's not always been expressed in a right way or harbored in a right way. When we think of the direction of our nation, where things are going here, a shift away from traditional values and even from good work ethic. Clearly, no one can deny there's a moral decline. a pro-abortion agenda, a pro-homosexual agenda, breaking down of the family, yet increasingly an overall anti-religion sentiment or bias, not only in people generally, but in the media and even in our government and some who are in leadership. Well, the list could go on, but you catch the drift. And brethren, I would say quickly that it's not wrong that we should be concerned about such matters as these that I've just mentioned. Things going on, especially being promoted by those in our government. In fact, I would go beyond that. I would say it's very right. The psalmist in this verse that we're looking at, I consider all your precepts about all things to be right. He then follows by saying, and I hate every false way. Old John Gill, he says of that false way, it's every command institution and ordinance of men which are opposed to the will of God." Anything contrary to God's way, God's will, well, I hate it. And so should it be with all of God's people. That is, those who love God, those who long for God's way and God's honor and love God's word, they should indeed be concerned about what we see going on in our nation, in our culture. Very right. And thus, I say, it's not wrong. If you woke up Wednesday morning after Election Day and you were terribly disappointed, not just with regard to President, Vice President, but here in our own state, with regard to Senator and the like, Senator-elect now, well, if you were disappointed, not simply because the guy I was hoping would get there, the horse I bet on didn't get it. It's not that kind of a situation. But because of the tendencies we see in our country, not only from what this election declares, but also the moral decline continued all around us. As I've already referred to here in Psalm 119, verse 136, the psalmist shows he was very emotionally impacted is rivers of water coming out of his eyes. The new King James says, I see they're not keeping your law, and I'm disgusted by it. This is terrible that people are not keeping God's law. The psalmist can say back in verse 50 here, he spoke of an indignation, a righteous indignation, because he'd see people disregarding God's law. Well, brethren, we should hate every false way, and we should be emotionally impacted by this. That's very right. If that marks you, good. That's right. were susceptible to very wrong responses and thoughts, wrong actions, certainly wrong emotions toward those results of that recent election. Perhaps because it's so common for us as the Lord's people, your pastor thought it would be suitable to consider this material here. It's very easy to entertain a wrong kind of fear. even a consuming worry, like what's going to become of our nation? What's going to become of me and my family and my children and my grandchildren? What's going to happen? And being even crippled by that kind of fear. Some in our nation, disappointed to the point of even being downcast and dejected and despairing. Especially, too, people can come to the point of having less than proper respect towards our president and vice president. And I can understand that. Especially the way, when you consider how the campaign was run, when you think of all the negativity, the personal attacks, quite honestly, all the slander. We shouldn't be indifferent toward slander. Many of those who are now elected, they were very disagreeable, quite honestly, unlikable, in their conduct and in their comments. And sometimes it was just a great rudeness that we could see, disrespectful and very undignified. If you saw the vice presidential debate between Vice President Biden and Congressman Ryan, and perhaps you didn't quite keep count, but you might have noted that something like 82 times our vice president interrupted, spoke over, Congressman Ryan. Well, brethren, I'm not meaning to have a go at our vice president. I'm simply saying that's rude. That's rude. And it's very difficult to respect rudeness, no matter who is guilty of it. Okay? Right? So we could see things like that, and it could put very much a bad taste in our mouth towards those who are now our elected officials. Or maybe there's even a carnal anger, not simply a righteous indignation. You know how Paul can write in Ephesians about, be angry and do not sin. No, it's gone beyond that. It's a sinful anger. There's even hostility in our heart, perhaps towards elected officials or their surrogates, especially those in the media. If you kept track at all with what was going on in the media, maybe you found yourself quite disgusted with how biased and how unfair, or worse than that, how snarky, how snide and mean-spirited people are covering this. No objectivity or integrity it seems. Maybe you had to wrestle with hostility towards liberals generally when you see the cockiness and given over to such folly. People who can rightly be described as, the psalmist here says, the proud or the arrogant. They're trusting their own smarts and despising God's Word. Should we be indifferent to such things as this? Brethren, I don't hesitate to say, I'm not wanting to sound like I'm preaching politics, but I don't hesitate to say we shouldn't be indifferent. toward these things. Again, Psalm 119 verse 128, I hate every false way. That's contrary to God's way. No, we shouldn't be indifferent or, again, Psalm 158, I see this and there's disgust. Or let me give you another text, we won't turn there, but in Psalm 15, who is this that can approach God? He's describing the righteous man. And the righteous man is described in verse four as those who despise the ungodly. They despise a vile person. Now, it doesn't mean despise in the old southern sense. I despise that thing, meaning I hate it. But it does mean I have a very low regard. And so he's saying, as a mark of righteousness, we don't look at the ungodly celebrities and the ungodly famous and somehow admire and adore them. No, there's a right kind of disdain, a righteous kind of disregard. No, they're not so to be envied after all, you know, even though the world puts them on pedestal. Well, that's an expression of righteousness. And so, whereas there should be some sense of righteous indignation or disgust or whatever, yet brethren, we are given no license for personal animosity, for doing ill, for speaking ill, for wishing ill towards such people, though we disagree with them. Now, again, if we are to hate every false way, That doesn't simply mean hating every false way out there. Ah, the media are all elected officials. Yeah, I hate every false way when I see it there. Brethren, it means hating every false way when we see it right here in our own hearts, okay? And therefore, it's for us not to pick and choose about what parts we like and, oh, we're disgusted at what they do, but rather, well, we're to take care how we act and how we think, even in the face of those things that would grieve us, like arrogant people or the ungodly and oppressors and the like. And so, again, I ask, how have you responded to those recent election results? Or perhaps a better question would be, how should we respond, especially now to our president, vice president, and the senator of our own state here, Senator-elect Kaine, how should we respond to these things? Does God's word speak to this? Well, it does. And its directives must govern us even in how we think of our rulers and the matters that are revealed by this recent election. So that's what we want to consider, just three basic lessons from scripture. Nothing new here, probably very familiar with these things. But the first is this. We must take care to maintain a respect for those in office. And I should say more, we must guard against disrespect, be it in word or, for that matter, even in our attitude. Please come to Romans chapter 13. I imagine you're familiar with Romans 13, where Paul's talking about the authorities, the powers that be. They're ordained of God. He talks about the civil magistrate, even talking about how they govern by God's appointment. They're placed there by providence for the good of men to keep evil in check, to promote that which is right, and in that way they are God's ministers. They're serving God, even if unintentionally. Well, in verse 1 and verse 5 of Romans 13, we're called to be subject or to submit, not disobeying, but rather obeying all the laws of the land that are not contrary to God's law. But it's not simply a bare submission that we're to render. regardless of attitude, because notice he closes this section, verse 7 of Romans 13, render therefore to all their due. Taxes, to whom taxes are due. Customs, to whom customs. Fear, to whom fear. Honor, to whom honor. The word fear here is the idea of respect. respect for superiors, and even honoring, recognizing, and duly valuing their work and their position. Because God is the one who's put them in that position, He has bestowed that rank upon them, and He even uses civil magistrates to keep order in a culture, in a civilization, in a nation. And therefore, there is to be that fear or respect and due honor. We see the same thing over in 1 Peter 2. You needn't turn there, but in verse 17, we're called upon to honor all people, to love the brotherhood. Now, how we are towards our brethren, that's different than how we are towards all people generally. And then we're told to fear God and honor the king now that statement comes in a context beginning at verse fifteen where he said that we are to be submissive to and to honor all institutions of men and immediately goes on to talk about kings or governors as those sent by them and so it is the right idea again of of not only being subject to the laws but doing so with the right attitude that is with a due respect on giving due honor to those who are in authority over us, or please come to Titus chapter 3, Titus the third chapter. Chapter 2, Paul is giving Titus instruction to give to various segments of The congregation's there in Crete. You've got the older men, the older women, the younger women, younger men, slaves, and so forth. But now here in chapter 3, he's saying, no, that this is instruction for all of them. Old, young, male, female, slave-free, doesn't matter. All of them now, Titus, are to be taught this. Verse 1 of Titus chapter 3, remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities to obey to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. He calls not only to be subject to them, but when he says ready for every good work, that would include being ready to cooperate with the civil magistrate, with those in government, in every way that we rightly can, a readiness of mind to do that, which shows it's not just rendering, okay, I'll do what you say, but, no, there's this attitude, I'm wanting to promote man's good, even in a way of cooperating, and when he goes on to say in verse two, speaking evil of no man, well that at least includes those who are rulers that he's just referred to in verse one. And these verses are not saying you must have that kind of honor or respect for the guy for whom you voted. If you voted for it, nobody voted back in those days, okay? And that doesn't mean if it's a good ruler, somebody who has really earned your respect because of their upright... If it's a Nero, there's still to be that giving honor, showing respect and having a respectful attitude, even if they oppress us. because God himself has commanded this. I didn't read the context there in 1 Peter 2, but it does say in this way we serve God and we stop the mouths of foolish men when they see God's people being quite different from the world and having that kind of due respect even where there's disagreement. So what should be our response then to this recent election and the concerns that it obviously would raise amongst those holding to more traditional values? Well, we must have respect for all who are in authority. But now I want to qualify that a bit, okay? I think we do need to, what does that mean exactly? Let me give you some matters that it doesn't mean. It doesn't mean admiration. Just because the media feels that certain individuals must be adored, that doesn't necessarily mean that that's the kind of respect that were commanded to give. Nor does it mean approval of their character. No matter what the office, if the man has ungodly character, that shouldn't be approved. Nor does it mean approval of their policies. You know, that Nero guy, he's feeding these Christians to the lions. We've got to approve of that, you know? No, we don't have to approve of that. In fact, we cannot, we dare not, be indifferent toward that which is wrong. We're to hate every false way. Furthermore, when he says here that we are to respect the king, honor the king, and those to whom fear is due, it doesn't contradict what I referred to earlier from Psalm 15 verse 4, that the righteous man he despises, he does not hold in high regard a vile person. And therefore it does not mean that kind of personal respect that is earned by good character. You know people, that their character is such They've earned your respect. You see that which is truly admirable and truly right. And you see their integrity. Your pastors, I would say, are men like that. You know them to be so. And therefore, you have that personal respect, not only submitting to them and having respect in how you speak of them because of their office, but they're men who've earned your trust and their proven godly character. Well, OK, that's one kind of respect that's earned. That's not a free gift. That's earned. But when it's talking here about honoring the king, well, wait a minute, if that guy doesn't have that kind of godly character, again, Romans 15, 4, sorry, Psalm 15, 4, there is to be that kind of or lack of high regard for a vile person. No, rather the respect that is here commanded, brethren, it is respect for God-appointed authority, recognizing God's put that man in that office, and therefore it's to be shown toward all who are in office. It would obviously mean, negatively, no rebellious heart, no personal animosity, no cynicism, no hateful attitude, certainly no hateful speech, but rather it would mean speaking respectfully to or about those who are in authority with a due respect for the office and the position that God has put them in. irrespective of what they may do and mind you it would also include recognizing when good is done they do something right you know ungodly ruler yes but it's very right to say but he did this right out of concern for people and so forth okay so that would at least be included inside the idea of respect not a personal character issue not an approval not an admiration of things that are wrong are you ever tempted to disrespectful attitudes or speech towards those in authority or those who won recent elections with whom you'd be very much opposite in your convictions? Do you ever speak disrespectfully? Guilty? Do you repent of that? Brethren, we must. It's sin. It's contrary to God's law. Now, in that we must be told in Scripture repeatedly to honor those who are in, the honor kings, those in authority. That teaches us it's not automatic, okay? Just let it ride. In fact, I would suggest, because we're told that repeatedly, it shows it's not easy, okay? If Nero was over us, it wouldn't be easy to have that kind of proper respect for the office. And yet, brethren, it must be deliberate, it's commanded. Though it's not easy, though it's not automatic. And therefore we also must guard against everything that is contrary, be it in speech, be it in attitude. If you see wrong attitude towards those in authority over you, I'm sorry, recognize that's wrong. I cannot harbor that, repent of that. Certainly if you find yourself speaking ill of those We're not talking about now disagreement in a respectful way with their policies, or even for that matter, with ungodly character. But as to speaking ill of their person, of those in office, be very careful, brethren, in what we say. We're to esteem all of God's precepts concerning all things to be right, and that includes how we regard those in authority over us. That's the first lesson. Second response is we must pray, especially that posture of respect for those in authority. We must pray for those in leadership. You know that. Please come to First Timothy chapter two, First Timothy chapter two. Paul's actually writing, especially about corporate prayer, the prayer meeting of the churches, as the context goes to show. Therefore, I exhort, first of all, 1st Timothy 2.1, the supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings, and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God, our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. We are to pray. And again, that's not simply if it's somebody that we agree with that guy's policies. No. He's a good ruler, even if it's near wrong. We're still to pray. In fact, if we're to pray for good rulers, how much more, perhaps, for those who are quite ungodly and evil. Okay, but what should we pray then? For what should we pray with reference to kings and those in authority? Well, and then he goes on to say, God will have all, and here it is, all kinds of sinners to be saved, whether they're kings or whether they're paupers, whether they're rulers or not, doesn't matter. God would have all kinds of sinners to be saved. And he says that in this context, surely it means praying for the salvation of our rulers. Christ saves all kinds. Well, do you believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is able to save our president, our vice president, their families? Do you really believe that? Let me ask you, do you want him to? Do you want him to? We should. And therefore, we should pray. Sincerely, Lord, please have mercy upon President and Mrs. Obama and Vice President and Mrs. Biden and their children. And not just those, but others in both houses of Congress and all the way down, praying for their salvation. But Paul is not simply saying, pray that they'll be saved. When he says here in verse two about the praying for those that rule, that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and reverence, it clearly is the idea that God would show mercy to them, the rulers, and by them, to us, from righteous rule, from wise laws and rules, and so forth. In other words, praying that in the exercise of their authority it would truly be right and wise and for the good of our nation, giving peace and context for godliness. Or, if you please, simply praying that God would grant common grace to ungodly rulers. that even though they may be quite opposed, those in government quite opposed to God's laws, yet as it is the job of the civil magistrate to keep evil in check and to promote good, to pray that God would at least give common grace or common mercy, that they might do that, that as we see in Proverbs 21.1, how God channels the hearts of kings like rivers of water, that he might do that, even overruling the evil that is in their own hearts. so that they might give at least righteous rule on some level, and praying that God would grant mercy by way of even moral issues. It's not wrong to pray against abortion and against gay marriage, so-called, and so forth. But it's not just praying for those issues, rather, it's praying for the rulers more generally, that in all the exercise of their authority it would be such as would make a context for that quiet and peaceful life that we might live out that godliness and reverence that is here referred to. Even a context where the gospel can run and have free course. Do you pray for your rulers in that connection? That those in the Senate, that those in the House of Representatives, even, mind you, down to our state delegates, They'll be given at least common grace to think rightly about matters. But now, notice that he's not simply here talking about praying for those who rule. Notice again verse 1. I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, giving and thanks be made for all men. And I don't think we must say that you've got to go through the phone book and pray for every name that is there. That's not the idea. But it is for all kinds of men, and all men generically even. Praying for conversions, yes, that's true. But brethren, I would see in these words, in this context, praying even for common grace in our culture. And all the more so in a democratic society, leaders elected by the populace, to pray that there will be common grace, at least common sense, but God's common mercy. Well, do you pray that way? For evil to be restrained? For measures of morality to be upheld and promoted? For peace in our nation? Do you pray that way? For God's mercy to our nation by way of common grace? And I say that all the more, brethren, in light of the fact that we're a nation under judgment. God willing, in the Sunday school hour, I want to come back to that. But you look at Romans chapter 1, and you see God giving men over to reprobate mind, the folly of it. And as I say, we'll come back to it in the next hour. But it's obvious that that's what we see, a nation under judgment. Well, how right, then, that we should pray as Dr. Crampton prayed earlier in wrath, Habakkuk 3.2, in wrath, remember mercy. Lord, have mercy upon our nation. But brethren, let's make sure we're praying in a right way, for right motives. Not simply, Lord, please grant this common grace that our peace and our more pleasant context might be extended. Lord, don't let the economy fall apart through bad policies so I'll have more money in my wallet. No, it's not just praying for how this is going to affect me. Not even, for instance, Lord, don't let hard economic times come or the loss of our freedom, the loss of our nation's status even more deteriorating for the sake of my children and my grandchildren. Brethren, it's right to have that concern. I'm not saying we shouldn't be concerned about that. But is that all we're thinking of? What about my children and my grandchildren? And what about... Well, no, that's a righteous concern. Brethren, far more the concern is like that which we see in Psalm 119. Lord, they disregard, they make void your law. It's time for you to act. for your namesake, to pray even as our Lord Jesus taught us in what's called the Lord's Prayer, perhaps better, the Disciples' Prayer, Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Not unto us, not unto us, but unto you, O Lord, be honor, be glory, right? to be really concerned for God's honor and Christ's churches in our nation. To be concerned that America is an economic powerhouse that we might, as churches, have wherewithal to give to support missions elsewhere and in our own nation as well. Do you pray for our nation? And is your concern, your desire, first and foremost, for God to be glorified? the unfolding of his purpose? Could it be, brethren, that we're more concerned about our economy and our comforts than we are God's glory? We're praying out of concern for our nation? Our greater concern is the future of our children rather than Christ's church, Christ's honor? Could it be that we're more concerned about praying how decline in US economy and culture will affect us more than it will affect our fellow citizens? It's all about me. But it ought not so to be. In that connection, what's to be our disposition toward all people when we're praying for them? Even our enemies. Even mentioning that, I would imagine your mind might have run to Matthew 5.44. We're told to love our enemies? And how will love for enemies be shown? Well, it's doing good to those who do us ill, but in that context, Matthew 5.44, the Lord Jesus also talk about praying for those who persecute or treat us spitefully, right? The point is, we ought to pray out of real love for our rulers, even for our enemies. Now if you're like me, you perhaps have had to wrestle through some very bad attitudes by way of what you see going on in the news media and the like. When I see snarky journalists promoting their own agenda, I must confess, while righteous indignation is appropriate, I can quickly fall into some very unrighteous indignation seeing this, promoting their agenda in the name of being objective, which they're far from it. And when we see other things that go on, it can be very difficult. Well, can you pray for liberals with real love for your enemies? that God will save them, or at least have mercy on them by way of common grace? Brethren, we ought so to pray, out of real love, even for our enemies, asking, Lord, please grant them mercy for their salvation. Do you want to see liberals saved? Do you really want their salvation? Pray like it. I'm not picking on political liberals as if they're the worst kind of creatures on the face of the earth, you understand, but they have certainly shown a disregard for God's law. point is our prayer should be for the good of men and that especially for God's honor. Lord please have mercy upon our nation for Christ to be glorified for the unfolding of God's purpose in this world taking care to give thanks to God for the measures of common grace that we do see. I should throw in there as well in our praying brother how right we should pray for ourselves too that God will give us grace to have proper respect for those in authority and true love for our fellow citizens, even those that would regard us as enemies and speak ill of Christ's people, to pray that God would give us real grace to love them as we ought. Well, first response we must have to this most recent election. We still must respect those who have authority over us. Secondly, we ought to pray. Pray for rulers, pray for people generally, pray that God will give us grace to live a godly life as we ought. But then the third matter, and really this is vital to these other two, in the face of these things, trust God. Trust our God and Father through our Lord Jesus Christ. Brethren, he knows what he's doing. Do you trust him? When you woke up Wednesday morning, did your heart sink and you come away with some sense of fear? Many Christians did, still perhaps wrestling with these things. If we're consumed with worry, depressed, find ourselves resentful, I ask you, isn't the problem right here that we're not trusting God? Not really. Not with these election results. If you'd awaken to the news that we've had a conservative sweep all across our nation, and so now President, Vice President, all the way down to the dog catcher, all of them are now foregoing conservatives holding to traditional American values. Would you then breathe this great sigh of relief saying, now we're on the right track and everything's Well, brethren, if so, what you're showing there is you're not really trusting God. Right? Now, I admit, I don't give too much thought to conservative dog catchers, but certain offices, I wouldn't mind seeing somebody with a little bit more level-headedness and stability making decisions. That's true. And I'm not saying that we shouldn't have that desire. But the point is, if we would come away thinking, well, now things are going to be hunky-dory, all of our problems are going to be fixed, here's man's greatest need to have political conservatism out there. Rubbish! Rubbish, no. And if you're thinking that way, you're thinking wrongly. You're disobeying Psalm 146.3 about not putting your trust in princes. You read Psalm 118. Surely, we as Christians, when we read verses 8 and 9, it's better to trust in the Lord than to trust in man. It's better to trust in the Lord than put your confidence in princes. We believe that, right? Right? We do. At least in theory. And we understand why it's better to trust in the Lord than in princes. As Psalm 146, man dies and that's the end of his purposes. What comes of it? No, we understand it. Better to trust in the Lord whose purpose stands. Better to trust in this great and glorious God who does all things well. Well brethren, in the face of judgment on our nation, Romans 1 type judgment, in the face of Election results to us raise some serious concerns It's for us to deliberately trust in God we know We know truth about him Psalm 146 talks about that happy people having him as their God, or what about simply Romans 8, 28, and we know all things work together for good to those who love God, those called according to His purpose, and here's why they work for our good, verse 29, because by these He's predetermined and is working out that purpose of conforming us to the image of His own Son. And that includes everything except the election results from November 6th. That, that's excluded. Right? That's, that's, no, obviously it includes even that. All things for our good, to make us more like Christ. And therefore, it's for us to be obedient to Psalm 37 in a context where you've got oppressors, we're told, don't be envious of evildoers and don't fret because of them either. Rather, you trust God and do good. That's what we're commanded. Or Psalm, I mean Proverbs chapter 3 about trust the Lord with all your heart, don't lean to your own understanding, all your ways acknowledge Him, He'll direct your paths You keep trusting Him deliberately and on purpose with your mind engaged with truth about Him. We know truth about God, and that in itself should cause great trust. After all, brethren, do we not understand something of God's sovereignty? that he's always in control. That's how it can be that all things work together for the good of his people because this God works all things according to the counsel of his own will. Romans 11, 36, by way of a burst of praise, of him, through him, To Him are all things of Him. All things are rooted in His eternal decree. Through Him all things worked out by His sovereign providence. And to Him all things redound to His glory, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. This is our God. Why will we not trust Him? We believe this, right? We believe this. Why will we not trust Him? Or how about trusting His wisdom? The God who alone is wise, scripture says. Just look at God's wisdom as revealed in creation. These homeschoolers, they have the joy of seeing God's glory revealed when mom will open up to them the various facets of creation. How this little caterpillar and what this does and how intricate things in God's creation. Or, in history, you look back and you see God's wise providence in controlling the movements of armies and of whole nations and kings. And my, our nation's history, going back to its beginnings, what remarkable providence is the wisdom of God revealed. Or you think of the wisdom of God revealed in our salvation. This great dilemma, how could God show mercy and yet be a just God and punish sin? But it's in the wisdom of God that he provided a propitiation. He said, it's only begotten son to satisfy all the demands of justice, bearing that penalty of sin so that God might be just while justifying, while dealing in mercy with the ungodly. Well, brethren, you see the wisdom of God on every hand. Well, will we trust his wisdom then with regard to what goes on in our nation? Lord, you know what you're doing. Why should I be in despair? Why should I be disappointed? You know what you're doing. But especially, dear brother and dear sister, that we should trust in his love. We should trust in his love. Come on, here's this God who has love for his enemies, Matthew chapter five. Love for all creatures. And we're not just his creatures, we're his dear children, adopted through Jesus Christ. 1 John chapter 4, John talks about here, it's not that we loved God, but that He loved us and He sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins, to suffer and die in our stead, out of that great love for us. Jesus prays in John 17, verse 23, that the world may know that, as Jesus is there saying, Father, that you have loved them as you have loved me. I find even more staggering that he says that the world may know, not simply that they may know how much you've loved them like you've loved me, but that the world may know of your grand love for them. What manner of love this is that we should be called his dear children. And it's in that posture that God is causing all things to work for our good to conform us to the image of his only begotten Son that Christ should be the firstborn among many brethren. Well, brethren, Do we really believe that? Well, let me put it another way. Who really came out triumphant? Who really came out the winner from November 6th elections? Who really came out? Well, we did. We did. Oh, wait a minute, I didn't vote for... Paul can talk about how God always leads us in triumph. Romans 8 37 we're more than conquerors through him who loved us or first John chapter 5 John talks about how we are those who through faith overcome the world its ways its pressures and so forth right Brethren God is for us entirely for us That Hebrews 10, 14 passage, how by that one offering, we've been perfected forever. That is all those who are being sanctified, those who are saved, perfected forever. What does that mean? Well, there he's not talking about that moral perfection that will be ours when we are fully conformed to Christ morally, but rather he's talking about our standing and acceptance before God legally and in God's heart, perfected forever. It cannot be improved upon. This is God and His heart toward us. Well, surely then, that includes even what happens in our nation by way of a nation under judgment, by way of elections that we would think, oh no, how is this? It's for us to trust in the Lord and to delight in Him. Psalm 37, verses three and four. Well, just three quick lessons from it. What should be our response? One is speaking or having proper respect towards those in authority. Secondly, praying, praying for conversions, but praying for common grace in our land, and especially for rulers. Thirdly, in all things, to trust the Lord. And so coming back now to the text with which we began, Psalm 119, 128, I consider your precepts concerning all things to be right. It's a statement made, it's a conviction expressed, in the face of evil, in the face of oppressors, in the face, he says, of the arrogant, people who make void God's law. They disregard it, they don't keep it. I pointed out already how he can speak of them with a disgust. But coming back now, please, to Psalm 119, our text, Psalm 119. You notice verse 28 begins with a therefore, and that follows verse 27, it begins with a therefore. I consider all your precepts concerning all things to be right, because, therefore, because I regard your commandments worth more than gold, the finest gold, and that, he says, verse 126, it's time for you to act, for they have disregarded or sorry, they have regarded your law as void. Spurgeon says, because the ungodly found fault with the precepts of God, therefore David was all the more sure of their being right. In that the ungodly hate these precepts, that only shows how valuable they are. But more than that, because of the evil done by evildoers, the psalmist was all the more committed to do right. to live by these things. So he's saying, I see them, I hate every false way. Lord, teach me your way to walk in it and don't let any sin have dominion over me. Well, brethren, here is our response, not only to this recent election and not only to Romans 1 judgment, but regard to all sin we see in the world. It should drive us to love God's word more and make us all the more zealous to live by it. And to that end, it should drive us to Christ for grace. Lord, give us grace. You said, without you, we can do nothing. We don't argue with him on that, right? Yeah, we say amen. But rather, he said, but with me, with me, you bear much fruit. And Paul said, through Christ, I can do all things, the one who strengthens me. Well, how is it with us, brother? We're going to live by God's word, even in our attitude towards leaders and our praying for our nation and trusting God? We'll do so. on purpose, giving glory to Him who reigns over all and does so for our good. I close just with this. If you really don't care about what God has said concerning all things, you live your life by your will, your desires, what you want to do, what you think is right, you really don't give much thought to what God says on your daily life, what does that say about you? The psalmist says, you're one of the arrogant. You're one of the proud. You make void. You disregard God's law. You trust in yourself. You live your way, living in and for your sin. Even though you may be morally or even politically conservative, still, you're the arrogant, trusting you, not God. John says, here's the love of God. We keep His commandments, and they're no burden to us. John says earlier there in 1 John chapter 2, here's how we know we love him, we keep his commandments. So everyone says, I know him, it doesn't keep his commandments, he's a liar. The truth is not in him. What about you? Jesus told a parable about a Pharisee over in Luke's Gospel. And that Pharisee could say it, even say it before God, that I thank you God, I'm not like other men. And you know, there's a sense in which he was right, he wasn't like other men. He wasn't a tax collector, he wasn't but is still an ungodly man. And so you may be politically conservative, morally conservative, you really appreciate traditional values, but Jesus could say to that man, I thank you God I'm not like other men. How will you escape condemnation of hell? That's what he said to Pharisees, or you're of your father, the devil. He said that to Jewish leaders. Well, what about you? Has Christ saved you? Has he made you different from this world? Truly, really? Has he given you a heart to know him? What do your desires say? Do you really desire to please Him? To do that which is right before God? Or is your heart set upon things of going your own way and living like the world, even to do so in a context of some kind of religious respectability? My friend, if you have no heart to please God, no desire for Him, see what that says about your state. Christ has never saved you. You're lost. you're in your sin, you're a heartbeat away from eternal torment. And what you need is not a politically conservative government, nor more morality, more traditional values, in fact, not even more religion. Rather, what you need is a mighty savior who not only forgives sins, but changes lives, it changes hearts. Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners, suffering the just one in place of the unjust that he might bring us to God, and not only securing full acceptance with God, but giving a heart to know God. Will you have Christ? Will you have him on his terms, repent and believe the good news? Or will you go on as the proud, trusting your own smarts? What will you do? Might God have mercy? Let's pray. Our Father in heaven, we thank you for giving us your word. We thank you for entrusting us with such blessed treasure and grant that we would Think in terms of your word and obey it and consider it to be right concerning all things. How we speak, how we think, how we regard those in office, and especially in our daily walk with you and our trusting you. Lord, be it matters to do with our nation or be it personal trials or difficulties that we face in the workplace or in the home. Lord, that our trust, that our confidence should be all in you. We thank you that you are for us. Please help us, then, by your Spirit and by your grace, to live for you and to show our love for you in the way that we live. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.