Please stand, then, for the call to worship. From 1 Thessalonians 5, verses 16 to 18, as Apostle Paul wrote, Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Beloved of God, called to be saints, grace you in peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. And let us pray together. O Heavenly Father, how we thank you for your faithfulness. You are the God of all grace and comfort to your people, and we know it is your will that we come before you in worship, in thanksgiving, and that we pray to you, even without ceasing, that is, in all of life, that we seek your honor and your glory and your goodwill for us. How we thank you that we have that confidence, that assurance, because Jesus Christ has come, that he gave himself in perfect obedience and righteousness He also suffered on the cross. He bore the wrath of God for all who will trust in him of all times and places, all nations. And so we know you are that sovereign good and saving Lord God Almighty. And so we thank you for the privilege that we have to come before you and we pray you'd help us to hear your word, turn us away from all our sins, lead us as your children, and may you receive all the honor and the glory as we would be built up in faith and service to you. Again, turn us away from our sins and guide us as we ask it for your glory. In Christ's holy name, for his sake, amen. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen. And let us confess together the true Christian faith with the words of the Apostles' Creed saying, I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell the third day he rose from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, From there he shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. You may be seated. Let's turn to our first hymn, number 65, as we acknowledge the Lord God, who is sovereign over all nations and all individuals. before Jehovah's awesome throne number 65. ♪ All nations on this sacred day ♪ ♪ Hail the brand new born King of glory ♪ ♪ O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave ♪ ♪ His Son in power will ever be ♪ ♪ He has survived and borne our pain ♪ ♪ And gained life, heart, and ship this day ♪ ♪ He brought us to this world again ♪ ♪ He brought us to his throne again ♪ ♪ We are His people, we are His people ♪ ♪ Our soul and our heart are one again ♪ ♪ One blessing, one blessing, one blessing, one blessing ♪ ♪ A mighty name unto your name ♪ ♪ A mighty name unto your name ♪ ♪ We love your nations and they are your sons ♪ ♪ Our hands up in the air as our voices raise ♪ ♪ Shepherds with their flocks they serve in praise ♪ ♪ Shepherds with their flocks they serve in praise ♪ ♪ And as the world rejoices ♪ ♪ As does eternity always ♪ ♪ And rise up unto the sun ♪ ♪ When holy years shall cease to come ♪ ♪ When holy years shall cease to come ♪ to the Lord is the good God who brings his people all the way to everlasting life after he is with us throughout this world in all his goodness. A New Testament reading today, we'll look at Hebrews 10 verses 11 to 25. In Hebrews 10, starting at verse 11, Speaking of Christ and the difference there is between him and the old covenant priests. And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God from that time, waiting till his enemies are made his footstool. For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us that for after he had said before, this is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts and in their minds, I will write them. Then he adds their sins and their lawless deeds, I will remember no more. Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin. Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he consecrated for us through the veil that is his flesh, and having a high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promises faithful And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as you see the day approaching." Well, Christ, of course, is the true high priest of his people. He has provided that one sacrifice at the cross that we must depend upon. And it is the new covenant fullness that we rejoice in. He has done all of this. that we can be assured of having forgiveness of all our sins, being accepted by the Holy God, and we can come before Him in worship and in all times of life. We know He is that faithful one who provides for us and who hears according to His good purposes. Yes, may we depend upon the Lord and encourage one another in following in His good ways. Well, let's look at the Belgian Confession also, Article 8, page 876. After speaking about these scriptures and those books that we must know are from our God, Article 8 tells us how God is revealed there. God is one in essence, yet distinguished in three persons. According to this truth and this word of God, we believe in one only God who is the one single essence in which are three persons really, truly, and eternally distinct according to their incommunicable properties, namely the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Father is the cause, origin, and beginning of all things, visible and invisible. The Son is the word, wisdom, and the image of the Father. The Holy Spirit is the eternal power and might proceeding from the Father and the Son. Nevertheless, God is not by this distinction divided into three, since the Holy Scriptures teach us that the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit have each his personality distinguished by their properties, but in such a way that these three persons are but one only God. Then it is evident that the Father is not the Son, nor the Son the Father, and likewise the Holy Spirit is neither the Father nor the Son. Nevertheless, these persons thus distinguished are not divided nor intermixed, for the Father has not assumed the flesh nor has the Holy Spirit, but the Son only. The Father has never been without his Son or without his Holy Spirit, for they are all three coeternal and coessential. There is neither first nor last, for they are all three one in truth, in power, in goodness, and in mercy. Well, whatever the world thinks, there is this one true God proclaimed in the scriptures, the triune God. The three persons have always been, always will be. One is not before the other, and so forth. It could not be that those persons were God. But each one is called God, And there is yet one God. Yes, it's a mystery beyond our full rationality. And yet that is what God has revealed himself to be in the scriptures. And so he is that one we must rely upon who has done all of this. And so amazingly that God the Son came into this world, took upon himself a true human nature that he might obey in our place and pay the penalty for the sins of all his people on the cross. So we rely on the Lord God and the Holy Spirit who gives us faith to do that. May the Lord God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit be honored in all of our lives more and more. Well, God does call us to worship, to hear his word, and to pray to him. So let us join together now in our time of prayer. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we want to give you all glory and honor and praise. We know that is only fitting and right, and yet we are incapable of doing it as we ought in perfection. And yet you accept our praises even through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, as He did all things well, did all things perfectly in thought, word, and deed. And He gave Himself as the only atoning sacrifice at the cross. O Christ, You are truly that only atoning priest who gave you yourself there. And so we thank you for such assurance of the gospel that we have forgiveness and righteousness. Yes, everlasting life through what you have done. And we want to show our gratitude more and more. Do turn us away from all our fallenness, all our sins, all our unrighteousness. Lead us as your children that more and more we would be assured of life in you and we would want to show it And we want to show our gratitude in living for you, O Lord God Almighty. We thank you that you are the faithful one, you are with us as a congregation, as families and individuals, and we pray you'll continue to guide and bless us, build us up in faith and service to you, and yes, edify us, O Lord God, and cause us to grow in numbers as well, according to your good pleasure. We certainly pray that for all our denomination, all our established churches and our mission works. We do pray that you would be glorified in each situation. We do pray for covenant reform today at Chico, California. And Reverend Mancillus, we pray you'll bless your people there. And we thank you for their history and that they can serve you in that place, even when there are many challenges, certainly. And we ask for your continued blessing and that they would have the assurance of you being with them. be with fellow believers throughout the world, O Lord, that they may be strong in faith, even if they are persecuted for it, and that their persecutors might be one to the Lord Jesus. We pray for that, for your honor and your glory, whether fellow believers in the Philippines or Africa, wherever they are, and we ask for your blessings upon them, O Lord God. We pray for our own nation and we pray for your mercies, certainly with those who have suffered and many have died and others still being cut off from electricity and services, maybe not having food and water as they need. And with the hurricane devastation, we pray that you would direct, O Lord, that private and government care would be of effect and that it would be done and that you provide for recovery, O Lord, according to your mercies. And may many look to you for the only comfort in life and in death in Jesus Christ. We do pray for your glory in all of these things, oh Lord. We do pray for our own state and our nation with the elections coming up very soon and pray that you'll give us godly leaders who would follow the principles of your holy word. Pray that righteousness might be upheld, certainly that we would not have abortion put into our state constitution, would not have recreational marijuana so-called, other such things, O Lord, but you would provide for us, provide that the good of the people would be upheld and property rights, all manner of things, that you would show that you are the all-wise God and you provide for us. Indeed, we pray for safety for the candidates and in all things that we would have a fair election, certainly. Be with those who need your healing care at this time of various health needs. Certainly pray for various individuals with colds and so forth, myself, others. I pray for my mother in the nursing home in Pierre. We pray that she might have recovery, O Lord, according to your good will. She could be back in the nursing home if you would so determine, O Lord, give good care and treatment of all these things. With our students now in school and that they would be strong serving you and certainly not be led away from the truth in any way, that we would all look unto you and your word and be directed by it. We do pray for a great reawakening in our land and elsewhere, and that you would be honored to so provide, O Heavenly Father. Help me to proclaim your word and that you would be honored in that, and that we would be strengthened in faith and in all glad service to you. We thank you for all your blessings, all the ways you provide for us, you with all of us as families and individuals again, and may we Seek your will and give you honor and glory as is fitting. Again, cleanse us of all unrighteousness for the sake of Christ alone and guide us. We do pray for your glory and our good in Jesus' name for his sake. Amen. Let's turn then to hymn number one. We will stand to sing all people that on earth do dwell. All people that on earth do dwell, sing to the Lord with a joyful voice, in the holy spirit. Alleluia. Without our aid He did us make We are His folk, He doth us feed And for His sheep He doth us take O enter then His gates with praise, Approach with joy His courts unto. Praise, Lord, and bless His name always, For it is seemly so to do. For while the Lord our God is good, His mercy is forever sure, His truth at all times firmly stood. Scripture passage for the sermon today is Psalm 717. Psalm 17, another Psalm of David. Hear a just cause, O Lord. Attend to my cry. Give ear to my prayer, which is not from deceitful lips. Let my vindication come from your presence. Let your eyes look on the things that are upright. You have tested my heart. You have visited me in the night. You have tried me and found nothing. I have a purpose that my mouth shall not transgress. Concerning the works of men, by the word of your lips, I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer. Uphold my steps in your paths, that my footsteps may not slip. I have called upon you, for you will hear me, O God. Incline your ear to me and hear my speech. Show your marvelous lovingkindness by your right hand, O you who save those who trust in you from those who rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of your eye. Hide me under the shadow of your wings from the wicked who oppress me, from my deadly enemies who surround me. They have closed up their fat hearts with their mouths. They speak proudly. They have now surrounded us in our steps. They have set their eyes crouching down to the earth as a lion is eager to tear his prey and like a young lion lurking in secret places. Arise O Lord confront him cast him down. Deliver my life from the wicked with your sword with your hand from men O Lord from men of the world who have their portion in this life. and whose belly you fill with your hidden treasure, they are satisfied with children and leave the rest of their possession for their babes. As for me, I will see your face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied when I awake in your likeness." Now, you know, making an appeal, an appeal for change, can be done in various settings, of course. In our government, one can appeal to a court for an answer from the law. And an example of that, again, is in the Life Defense Fund case seeking that the judgment of the court in Sioux Falls would be to invalidate the abortion amendment proposed, Amendment G. But whether that occurs or not, the pro-life position appeals to the South Dakota voters, then, to oppose the measure. And there are appeals made for or against the other measures on our ballot. And yes, that's similar in Nebraska and other states. Well, the highest authority to appeal to is the one true God, obviously. And that happens, clearly, in this psalm. Yet believers are not to think that we must convince God to help his children. Rather, such appeals are, as said, to help us think carefully, sincerely, and to sharpen our requests, as it were. Oh, this is a psalm of lament in that David was in danger, and he cried out to the Lord for protection and deliverance. It can also be called a psalm of refuge, as that is what David trusts he has in God. Above all, it is clearly a prayer. It's a prayer. Indeed, it is the first one of the psalms with that title, A Prayer of David. And there are particular appeals that he makes. So let us be assured in prayer as we make appeals to our God in similar ways. First, with the appeal to truth. Second, the appeal to God's love. And thirdly, the appeal to difference between man. Yes, in verses one to five, the psalmist appeals to truth even to his own innocence. He declares he has a just cause. It is not from deceitful lips. He wants vindication as being upright He maintains it is the truth that he is innocent of charges. And those terms could seem to go beyond reality. Yet we think how God himself, as in Job 1.8, called Job a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil. Of course, we must all remember that it is righteousness by faith in the Lord, which is proclaimed in all the scriptures. That is declared regarding Abraham back in Genesis 15 and in Jeremiah 23. The Lord is our righteousness, our righteousness for all who trust in him. And David himself prayed to the Lord in Psalm 143, too, that in your sight, no one living is righteous. That is, we cannot be counted sinless by our works, but only in the grace of Jesus. And so with his cause, David, I say, is proclaiming he is innocent of particular charges. It could be the time of 1 Samuel 24, 9, or something similar. For when King Saul was pursuing him, he cried out to the king, why do you listen to the words of men who say, indeed, David seeks your harm? He was not doing that. And so he's particularly saying he's innocent of such charges. Here then David had searched his heart as God had and he wanted to be showing integrity in his life. He denies the specific slanders against him. Still I said with New Testament revelation we are perhaps perhaps more introspective and self-conscious of our own sins. Paul showed that in Romans 7 as a believer. That is, his old nature still tempted him, he said, and often he did the very evil which he hated. Oh, truly then, you and I know, all Christians know, we needed Christ to bear hell on the cross for us, for our sins. As we read in Hebrews, no recurring animal sacrifice could accomplish that. So when we have that trust in Jesus for salvation, then gratitude will follow. And yes, we are called, as in 1 John 3, 18 to 21, to love others in deed and in truth. With repentance and faith, believers are to have a good conscience or confidence toward God. And certainly Old Testament believers had that as well, looking ahead to the Redeemer to come. Well, here David knew he was not living, quote, in open love of sin, nor in self-love that is hostile to God. There, beloved, you and I are taught that the best prayer is one of sincerity, of course. So let each one of us always remember that and pray sincerely to the Lord. Having faith in God, David prayed for his name to be cleared, to be vindicated. Yes, he said at the end of verse four, I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer. However, you see, he also knew his weakness and he asked for continuing help, continuing help to walk uprightly, to be preserved in verse five. He knew he needed God's power and protection as we all do. So again, let each one pray likewise, when innocent of particular charges, to be kept, kept that way. Believers can also appeal to the truth in prayer when intending to serve God. Oh, it is planned, as one commentator wrote, that open and unconfessed sin is a great prayer barrier, and upright life is a strong basis for appeals. Like David, you and I must be so intending to serve God in this life. In verse three, he prayed, you have tried or examined me and found nothing. I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. Well, certainly he had, if he had evil thoughts, he determined to keep from uttering them. And he would not speak with deception or hypocrisy. That was his purpose, his intent. Still, we know no man is perfect, as he said. Only Jesus Christ was so in this life. Yet, dear ones, you and I must take the faithful intent seriously. We're warned, as in Psalm 66, 18, if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear. We cannot cling to or love our sins and expect to be heard then. That's daily repentance you and I are called to, of course. Yes, we must examine ourselves, as David spoke of that here. And let us remember, it's not just evil deeds that you and I must shun, but the 10th commandment against coveting something not ours is sin in the heart. Clearly, there must be self-examination with our prayers, brothers and sisters. That is simply part of approaching God rightly. After all, it is similar to when we partake of the Lord's Supper. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11, let a man examine himself before partaking of it. And of course, that means for each individual to admit his or her sins, to trust in Christ as one's Savior and Lord, and desire to follow Him in all of life. Now that is intending to serve God, which is necessary to be heard by the Lord. Otherwise it can be for us as Israel was warned of in Isaiah 59 1 and 2 your sins have hidden your face from His face from you so that he will not hear Well David's intention to serve God is also stated in verse 4 concerning the evil works of men by the word of your lips he kept away from the paths of the destroyer and Example of that would be when he was ready, he was ready to take vengeance on evil Nabal in 1 Samuel 25. But David heard God speaking through the wife Abigail to not do that, and he ceased from vengeance. Indeed, holding to God's word will also turn us from sin, even when provoked by wrong done to us. For you and I know the scriptures call each one to do what is right according to God's commandments. And though one can be saved only by his grace, that grace must bring change to our lives. As our Lord said in Matthew 7, 21, not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. that his faith in the Savior will be followed by a new life. And to be heard in his grace, let us show the true and the glad intention to serve our God. For example, as one wrote, you and I cannot be led by selfishness, thinking only of ourselves, but pray for others' needs before your own. And if we have I know we have at times, I have at times, if we have neglected duties as in caring for others in thoughts, words, deeds, and time, let us make things right where we can. And so, yes, I ask for your prayers for myself and for our church officers, our families of the congregation, and individuals. May we all have scriptural priorities and so be heard by our gracious God. We're always to appeal to him in truth, of course. Second, there is the appeal to God's love. You can see that in verses six to nine as an appeal to his marvelous covenant love. Verse seven, show your marvelous loving kindness by your right hand. David appeals to God's miraculous intervention in love for him. And those words are similar, you can think of that in Genesis 18, when Sarah doubted she would become pregnant, the Lord said what happened. Then God replied, is anything too hard or too wonderful for the Lord? His marvelous love, His covenant love so provides. And likewise, we can understand David is calling for God's marvelous covenant love or devotion to believers. As one wrote, it's not just a general benevolence, the kind God shows to the just and the unjust alike. This is a love by which he enters into a favorable relationship with his people, promising to be their God and the God of their children forever. And of course, we must be faithful in response. Indeed, it is the love promised to Abraham and his descendants promise to Moses, to David, and other Old Testament believers? Is the love of God who saves those who trust or take refuge in Him, verse 7? And since the Lord Jesus is the Savior, the Savior of all who depend on His righteousness and His saving work imputed to them, all Christians can know God will help us as He determines in His covenant. Now it's true that being saved or delivered from material evils and physical dangers, as in this case, that was often thought of with those pleas in the Old Testament. Pleas for God's help. However, spiritual salvation can be meant also, of course, as with David's confessions of sin, as in Psalm 51 and 32. He specifically prayed for deliverance from guilt regarding his sins against Bathsheba and Uriah. And so that salvation from sin and eternal condemnation is obviously all important, all important in the history of the world from the fall at Eden. Asking forgiveness for Christ's sake is the only way to obtain it, not by what we can do. For Jesus He obeyed perfectly, and he paid the penalty due to sin for all his followers. Of course, his cross is the ultimate display of God's marvelous covenant love. And on that basis alone, all believers can appeal to God's love. Yes, that love is declared in all revelation. That is special revelation from God. I'm not saying the gospel is seen in the stars and so forth, but it is proclaimed by his words and his deeds to his people throughout scripture, throughout history. Again, from Eden onward, it was foretold that the Savior would come. And so Christ fulfilled that covenant love. Well, when David appeals to be kept by God's right hand and as the apple of his eye and under the shadow of his wings, That's the same language as in the songs of Exodus 15 and Deuteronomy 32. In the first case, after Israel was delivered at the Red Sea, they sang of God's wonders by his right hand and his mercy or covenant love. In Deuteronomy 32, 10 and following, Israel was kept as the apple of his eye and under his wings So in both songs, God's faithfulness to his covenant is celebrated greatly in saving them from their enemies. Then here David appeals to the Lord to do the same for him according to that covenant love proven in the past as he is the unchanging God. Of course, the terms speak of believers as precious to God. Indeed, our Lord Jesus wanted to show such love to the Jews in his time, but he was rejected for the most part. He said in Matthew 23, 37, O Jerusalem, how often I wanted to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. But trusting in the Lord here, David is confident in his covenant love. He said in verse six, you will hear me, O God. Likewise, again, for us, beloved of God, our appeals don't have to convince him to help us. Rather, we are to give our burdens to the Lord for our comfort and truly it is the same covenant keeping love that all believers rely upon, which won our salvation in Christ's death and resurrection. Jesus was oppressed, though perfectly innocent. He was foreshadowed in all these things in David's life again and again. And Christians can be confident in the Lord, in all our troubles. Yes, in life and in death. We can be so assured of being answered as David was. We can be so with our appeal to God's love in Jesus. Third, there is here the appeal to difference between man. Verses 10 to 15 consider what the enemies are as dangerous to David and his companions, and then what he and they are like. So first it is the wicked who would destroy life. In verse 9, the wicked oppressors are deadly enemies surrounding David. But again, they had no cause to want his death. After all, God found no fault in him, verse three, regarding those accusations. And so the danger he faced from them was a reason for appeal to God as such a difference from how David treated them and he had faith. Certainly he had endured such persecution as from King Saul hunting him down And yet that only foreshadowed the greater surrounding of Jesus by his enemies at the cross, as Psalm 22 foretold. And there the eternal deliverance of his followers was won, though the wicked would destroy the life of believers. Oh, when we're told they have closed up their fat hearts, verse 10, that speaks of their pride and unfeeling nature as they close their hearts to any pity. For the unfaithful shut their hearts, especially against believers in need. Then they speak proudly or arrogant. Yes, they had worked to surround David and companions with eyes looking to crouch down, as it were, or to pounce, to cast them down to the earth. All their intent was for destruction, and that is a reason for prayer, clearly. It is John Calvin said to uphold themselves, they would cast down and ruin all men. Well, Example of that today, I think, is in those wanting borders open to all illegals. Why? In order to have votes, even if it ruins our country. Here, David asks for deliverance by God's power. Verses 13 and following, by his sword or hand, he wants his life to be delivered beyond all expectation of the wicked who would destroy life. And we rejoice in what was foreshadowed there. That is, Christ's bodily resurrection frustrated his enemies above all. Beyond that, we know that God's power against the wicked will be perfectly manifest at the last day when Jesus returns as judge of all mankind. As spoken of in verse 14, people of this world should all repent, surrender to God, Instead of seeking evil and their portion in things here As one said to have everything but God is judgment enough oh Certainly the Almighty does provide all good things here to all people he fills their belly with treasure as it says but remember what is told to us in Philippians 3.18 and following, enemies of the cross of Christ make their belly their God, small g, only wanting earthly things, and their end is destruction. And really, they cannot have true satisfaction in those things. After all, they have a bad conscience inside, being hostile to God. Oh, dear one, since these things of the world fill unbelievers, they take no care for and have no claim to anything beyond this life. But Christians, we have that perfect life to come. Again, only by God's grace in the Lord and unbelievers should take warning and be called to repent and trust in him. Yes, the great difference between the faithful and the wicked people is a reason for appeal to God in prayers, in our prayers again and again. Lastly, the difference is found in the righteous who will be satisfied in God. It is certainly the wonderful assurance David had in the love and mercy of God. He expressed it in verse 15. As for me, I will see your face in righteousness. I shall be satisfied when I awake in your likeness. You see there that the despised and persecuted believer will behold God's face at last because of the Lord's saving work. David has said, by wings of faith rises above all the trouble and danger he was enduring to see undisturbed tranquility ahead. Yes, he would have fullness of peace for having reconciliation with God was all important to him. And that reconciliation is what those who are righteous by faith all have. But those rejecting Christ cannot have it. And that's what Jesus said again and again. As in John 14 6, he said, he is the way, the truth and the life And no one comes to the Father, the one true God, except through Him. And so when we do trust in Jesus, as we're called to do, we are counted by God as pure in heart. Pure in heart. Thanks be to God. And blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matthew 5. Indeed, such assurance David had. And how great is the comfort of Christians now? As our catechism number one expounds on that, it tells us how believers belong, belong to Jesus Christ. And so when you and I are serving him, but under persecution, we can pray as a Bible teacher did when he was attacked. He said, Lord, your property is in danger. Your property is in danger. And clearly when God's property and work need his deliverance, that is a solid basis for appeal to him. Again, what a difference between men that only true Christians will see God's face. David proclaimed he would have real satisfaction when he would be comforted by the Lord instead of having troubles here. Well, even before the comfort of eternal life, we can think how Matthew Henry wrote a verse 15. That is, God's word all shows, it all shows what he is like with his grace in Jesus. And dear ones, that should satisfy us every time we awake, he said. And finally, it will be as promised in Daniel 12 to that many who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life. That glorious resurrection will be the ultimate fulfillment of satisfaction for all the faithful. Christians are promised also, as in 1 John 3, 2 and following, we know that when Christ is revealed, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure. And so, fellow believers, may you and I show faith in the covenant-keeping Lord in our prayers as seen in David. Then we can be, and they can be, quote, strong and prevailing. We can have such right appeals to our God and be answered. in His grace. Thanks be to God. Amen. Let us pray together. O Heavenly Father, we thank you that you are the faithful God, you hear your people, even through the grace of the Lord Jesus. We thank you that we can come to you and we are to be turning away from our sins more and more. And when we are accused falsely, we can say we are innocent of those charges and that we depend upon your covenant love, your grace at all times. May we truly be a thankful people, O Lord. May we seek to give honor and glory to you, be your witnesses, even as we show the difference in our lives by your mercies again, and that we, as who are righteous by faith, will be satisfied in you. We long for that, certainly that glorious life to come, but even here that we want to show our our confidence, our peace, our gratitude, and to point others unto Christ and to hear the gospel, that they also might have forgiveness, righteousness, and everlasting life in Him. We do pray for your glory, and we ask you to forgive our sins, cleanse us of all our unrighteousness, lead us in your paths, that we have the assurance of that salvation in the Lord Jesus. And now we do pray together as Christ taught us to say, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen. We can at this time give of our offerings to the Lord in thankfulness. Let's start our last hymn, 693, Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine. Stand to sing. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood. This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long. This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long. Perfect submission, perfect delight, visions of rapture now burst on my sight. Angels descending, praying from above, Echoes of mercy, whispers of love. This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long. This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long. Perfect submission, all is at rest. I and my Savior am happy and blessed. Watching and waiting, looking above. filled with His goodness, lost in His love. This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long. This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long. Do receive the Lord's benediction. And now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below. Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Aum