Well, dear church family, last Lord's Day, we looked at Psalm 119, not last Lord's Day, that was a number of Lord's Days ago, but we're carrying on with our evangelistic Bible study series in Psalm 119. Last time we looked at stanza four, I'm probably pronouncing that completely incorrectly, verses 41 through 48, where we considered a believer's trust In God's word, for divine mercy through the Spirit, for strength in defending the truth, of God's Word for grace in persevering in the Christian life, and of course, for grace in living to the glory of the Lord God. In today's stanza, stanza Zane, verses 49 through 56, we see here the importance, really, of remembering God's judgments of old. Our society, by and large, has forgotten, have they not, the God that has made us, who has blessed the West, really, and has given us many freedoms and many things, and by and large, our society have even forgotten that they even have a soul. But it is good for us to draw nigh unto the Lord and to remember all that he has done, not just now, but every day, morning, noon, and evening, as it were, to remember the Lord our God, to remember his covenant promises for us. And really in today's narrative here, herein lies a message for those really who are still yet to be brought in to Christ's kingdom and to be saved, but also perhaps a timely message for those who are maybe struggling in the Christian life amidst all the providences, all the circumstantial trials as well. Well, today's narrative sets out, I believe, the truth that lasting comfort And sure hope only comes from the word of the living God through the spirit. It doesn't come from the things of this world. It only comes from God's revelation to us through the spirit and through the word. And this is really what David had in mind, I believe, when he penned this psalm under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He had in mind the fulfilment of God's promises to him found in his word. The fulfillment of God's promises to him founded upon his word. The spirit-breathed word is the primary means, really, by which the Holy Spirit of God gives spiritual life and heavenly guidance. That quickens us, gives us that spiritual life and vigor, and gives us true, lasting comfort and a sure hope that maketh not us ashamed, as it were. The hope in the things of this world, they bring us to shame, don't they? Because there's nothing lasting about them. But the hope in God's promises, in Christ, and through his word, well they are yea and amen. They will last forever. And like I said, unfortunately many people in our society are losing hope, aren't they? They're losing comfort. And I remember, me really, how I was before I became a Christian, and no doubt many of you will feel the same way. What we try to typically do, if we are without the Savior, is we try to fill the eternal soul that God has put within us, the eternal spirit, with the here and the now. Kind of a living for the weekend type of approach. Get the work out of the way and as soon as the weekend hits just give myself really to the here and now as it were. And we try to fill an eternal vacuum because we're made for God, we're made for eternity. And the problem is, with all of us, by our own sinful natures, is we try to fill the eternal vacuum that is within us with the temporary, with the things of just this life, as it were. And the reason why there's so much discontent and disappointment and heartache in society and loneliness in our society is because we're trying to fill the eternal with the temporary. And that's why we see so much heartache. That's why we see so many broken families, broken nations, broken relationships. It's because we have left off the truth. And truth is a uniter, isn't it? It unites us. And because, like I said, Like I did for many years, all of us by nature, we prioritise the creature over the creator. And many have forgotten in our society that they even have a soul and a spirit and a God of whom they have to do with. And like David here, many people in our society have forgotten that they are sinners. that they are sinners in need of a saviour, the saviour, as it were. And David here reminds us that he is a sinner and he remembers God's covenant promises to him in Christ. He is not unmindful to remember the Lord and he does so often and constantly. God's judgments of old, dear friends, have been forgotten. And we know, do we not, friends, that nothing that defiles heaven will ever enter into a just and holy heaven. God must deal with man's sin. Sin cannot be trifled with. Every sin must be dealt with. And that's why we see here the importance of remembering God's judgments, remembering his promises, remembering the word of the living God. And perhaps I'm speaking to someone here today and really all your hope, like me for many years, and all your comfort really is bound up in this life. In your dreams and plans and it's just really, it's all encompassing. And this again was me for many years. All my hope, all my comfort was just based upon the here and now. Living for number one, living for myself, living for what I can get, My hope was just bound up in this life, in this world, and not Christ, and not the eternity to come. We're made, are we not, for a higher purpose. We're made for God. God's word says in verse 49, remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. Remember thy word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope. You see, David here is not asking for a new promise. He's just asking for an old one to be fulfilled. He is already trusting in God's promises to be fulfilled. in him, as it were. This is his prayer to God. This is what causes him to have this sure hope. This is the basis of his hope. God's promise to him, not the things of this life. And this really raises a question for us here today, does it not? What is your main hope? What is my and your main hope in life? Where do you draw your comfort from? What do you get excited about? Where is your affection, as it were? What is your desire in life, as it were? We see all around us, do we not? For many, it is just to be fit and healthy. There's nothing wrong, of course, with a little bit of exercise and to eat well. But for many, they obsess over these things. They do their utmost to make sure, well, I've got to. have the strict regime of fitness and to make sure that I give myself to these things day and noon and night as it were. But we know, do we not, it doesn't matter how strict your fitness regime is, it doesn't matter how well you eat as it were, how good your diet is, we know that death, we know that we're all going to die. We know the consequences of sin. So a lot of people don't think about the end of these things. There is an end to all these things. What is your main hope in life? Is it just to, again, like many in society just to be forever young and fashionable and attractive and that has become a god for many people. I work in Barnstable and all you have to do is walk down the high street and every third shop is a nail bar. You know every fifth shoppers are hairdressers as it were people are obsessed With how they look as it were I've got to get my nails done every other day I've got to get the latest fashions the latest things and there's nothing wrong. Of course. I'm getting your hair Done. There's nothing wrong with being smart and so on but our society is obsessed with these these these things and again The Word of God puts the perspective on it, that our lives are like a flower, aren't they? They have their beauty, they have their blossom, they have their peak as it were, and then the wind passes over it and it denigrates, it fades and it dies. Then these things are not going to last, are they? What people think of us, beauty, fitness, fashion, they're just going to pale into insignificance. And so many people put their hope in these things to be forever young, as well to be ever appealing. And perhaps for some it is just to keep up masses of possessions or riches or earthly possessions or earthly securities. That is their main focus. I need to be secure. I need to make sure that I've got all these props in life, these backups in life. You see, that is my priority, my career. to be like workaholic as it were. I want to work and the work of the Lord, the service of the Lord. Well, that's not a priority really. My job is, my finances are, my money bag is, my bank balance is. These are what gets me going. This is what gets me excited in life. You see, these are my securities. These be my guards as it were. And for many, unfortunately, it is that, isn't it? Riches, dear friends, make themselves wings, like our brother Rod said, every April, if you own your own business. They shoot out, don't they? For me, it's every month, really. Just the bank balance goes very quickly. And we're reminded, aren't we, in God's word, we came in naked. Didn't we? With absolutely nothing. Kicking and screaming. I came out of my mother's womb. And how are we going to leave? With nothing. Naked. We cannot bring anything with us. Any earthly securities? Any props? What people think of us? You know, I used to work in the city in London on the FX markets and Knightsbridge. I did a stint in London. And I remember, this is when I wasn't a believer, and I remember on the corporate ethics market, I remember people with all their suits and all their glamorous jewelry and it was just all about your position. And your position was who you were. That was everything about you. It was all about your position and your legacy, as it were. What girl hung off your arm, what suit you were wearing, what shoes you had, what car you drove, what neighborhood in London you lived in. It was just all so superficial. It was just all so empty. And even then there was a deep loathing, really, that I had in these things. There was a deep dissatisfaction in these things. And they're not gonna last, are they? What's the hope in these things? Where's the security in these things? Where's the basis of hope and comfort? They're not gonna last, are they? And perhaps, your main hope really is, like many people have today, is in what other people think of you. And this has become a big one. It's your legacy, your reputation. And this again is becoming increasingly, in our kind of virtue settling culture, it's becoming such a big thing. And in social media, the rise of social media, what people think of me. I want people to constantly think of me. I want to, and I've heard people say this before, I want to leave a legacy. I want to leave a legacy. I want people to think well of me. I want people to look upon me and say that I've made a difference in this world. Me, I've made a difference in this world by such and such things. And really, there's no memory in the grave, is there? What people think of us, dear friends, it's not going to matter. It's only what the Lord God thinks of us. It's only what is done through him, through gospel works, that's going to make the difference in the end. But a lot of people pin their hopes upon that, don't they? But perhaps it's more simple than that for many, in terms of their basis of hope and comfort. Perhaps, like me really, before I was converted, It's based upon living for the moment, like I said. It doesn't have to be as complicated. Maybe it's a mixture of many things. Just living for the here and the now. If it feels good, do it. Just eat and drink and watch telly and be merry for tomorrow we die. Whatever feels comfortable feels good. Just do it as it were. Maybe it's a bit more simple than that. And you see friends, David in verse 49 remembers God's sure word of promise to him as a sinner. He remembers God's sure word of promise as a sinner. A sinner who found grace and mercy and free unbound love in the sight of God through the Lord Jesus Christ. He is a forgiven man, a pardoned man, a saved man. And so this is really, we should see it in this light. Remember the word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope. We must remember, you must first realize that you're lost before you can be saved. The fear of God, when it comes upon someone, they understand they're under God's condemnation. They understand that God is just and that he must punish them. and David remembered the day that he cried out unto the Lord in his, he knew that he was under God's condemnation and he poured out his heart before the Lord. This poor man cried unto the Lord and he saved me out of all his troubles. You know, it's a simple but effective message, isn't it? Crying unto the Lord for grace and mercy. He doesn't say, remember thy word unto thy servant upon which which I am serving thee. This is all about hope. He's looking to the Lord, isn't he? The fulfillment of God's promises to him. He's not looking to his own works, but to the Lord. And you see the worldling's hope and worldly comfort is not going to last. It's always going to be disappointed because there's no sure and lasting basis to such a hope. It's temporary. It's fleeting, isn't it? And this world is passing away. It's mourning. It's dying. But he that doeth the will of God shall abide forever. And if you're in Christ, you are doing the will of God. You know, this weekend many people are celebrating Halloween in the office I work in. It's like, it's all-encompassing. They're celebrating death, really, aren't they? They're glamorizing and making light of death in everything. In the costumes, I went to a coffee shop and there was this person with a big butcher's knife on their head, with blood coming down. People are celebrating death. And yet, friends, we die because we're sinners. And many people have forgotten that. We're under God's judgment. The wages of our sin is death, eternal death and separation from God. There is such a place as hell. There is such a place as a heaven and an eternity. There is a light and there's a darkness, isn't there? There is a heaven and there is a hell, a real place. Will you remember that you're a sinner? that you're a sinner before God and you're in great need of the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. You're in great need of God's love and mercy and to get right with God before it's too late. John 3, 16, for God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. We must come and believe that God died for me and you, a sinner, for all my sins, that he loved me so much he was willing to give his precious son to die in my place, to take the penalty of my sin, to be my substitute, as it were, to go to the cross, to suffer in my place, to bear God's just, righteous indignation upon sin, to take my punishment as it were. So I don't have to take that punishment in eternity in hell. Christ has done it upon the cross. He has satisfied God's divine justice upon sin and he has had the victory over sin and death because he is the resurrection and the life. He is risen. He has made a way for me to be righteous because he has overcome these things. He's exalted and therefore if I trust in him If I cry to Him in the depths of my soul, understanding that I'm a sinner, and I cry to Him, the Lord promises me that He will save me, and He will put His Spirit within me, and He will give me new principles, principles of grace, and the means of grace to love Him, to serve Him wholeheartedly, to take sin seriously in my life. to not play around with sin anymore, but to depend upon His love, to depend upon His grace, to depend upon His mercies. Is this you? Is this your experience, friends? I hope and pray it is. And as a point of application for the Christian, let me just say this. Do we really want to serve that which is dying? Just think about that for a minute. Do you want to serve that which is dying and fleeting and fading away? Remember, only that which is done for Christ. I'm not talking about justification now. I'm talking about sanctification and actually living for God's honor. Do we live for God's honor? Is that our priority? Only that which is done for Christ is going to last. Nothing else of our own works, of our own flesh is going to last. It's all about his honor now, isn't it? Serve the Lord wholeheartedly. Remember his judgments of old to those who gave themselves by faith. Hebrews 11, remember the judgments of old to those who wholeheartedly serve the Lord. Their joy, their comfort. Yes, outwardly, all things seemed against them. Oh, but the joy and the comfort and the eternal bliss that they're now in. And look upon the judgments of those who made light of God's law, who kicked against God's law, who rebelled against God. Look at the deluge that fell upon them as it were. Friends, don't be sidetracked and give your hearts, and I speak to myself here, trust me, don't be sidetracked by giving your heart strength, your affections, your desire, your understanding, your mind to the things of this world. They're dying. They're not going to last, as it were. And we can all put our hands up, I can. And so we can, as Christians, be sidetracked, can't we? We must think of the inner man. Where does my affections lie? What do I get excited about in life every day? What gets me going? What gives me a spring in my step every morning, as it were? David says, morning, noon, and night. You will hear my voice, you will hear my song. There's joy in that, there's affection in that, isn't there? There's a prayer life, he lifts up his hands, he lifts up his prayer life to the Lord, morning, noon and evening. Can we say that? Or is there things, and I put my hands up to this friends, are there things that are creeping in? other affections. They're not saying it's bad for us to, you know, have hobbies and have nice times of leisure and so on. Those are all good, decent things. But if they start to take priority in our life, over the service of the Lord, in my marriage, in my family, in serving the local church, and how that outpours to society, there's a huge problem there. It's very simple, isn't it? The Christian life. First of all, my personal relationship to the Lord. Who I am when no one's around, in the dark, in quiet, that's who you are before the Lord. How I am in my marriage, how I am with my family every day. If I truly want to serve the Lord in the local church and in how the outpours of society, have I been sidetracked as it were? I believe many have in the days that we're living in and it's very telling, isn't it? Don't give your heart's strength to that which is dying. The Lord says, for where your treasure is, there will your heart be as well. And sometimes things can also be very legitimate. You know, you can get cooking programs, for instance. Or for me, I'll say, I like my rugby. I played rugby growing up. I was very good at rugby growing up. And I like rugby. I like watching the Springboks play rugby. And my wife will gently remind me You know, I like watching the internationals and that kind of thing. And those things are, you know, they're fine, you know. But be on watch, friends. Even good things, decent things, really, if we start to give ourselves those things and forget the purpose to which we are called, every true Christian is not only called, but they are commissioned Never forget that. David says, he talks about serving the Lord. You're a servant here. You're commissioned and God wants to use you. In your marriage, if you're a grandparent, he wants to use you. With every position and responsibility, he wants to use you. Just remind, we need to remind ourselves of that. Has God given me a position of authority? Am I a father? Am I a mother? Am I an older sibling? Am I a grandparent? Am I a neighbor? Am I a minister? Am I a member of a church? Am I an employer? Am I an employee? Just think upon these things. What is my How can I serve the Lord wholeheartedly in all these things? This is not legalism. This is godliness, isn't it? This is a want, a desire to serve the Lord. These things really were, in many times where the reformers and the puritans spoke, these things were just normal conversation between Christians. They were just normal. I'm not saying with all Christians, but it's largely been forgotten, unfortunately, in Christian circles. And that's why the psalmist can say, can he not, in verse 50, this is my comfort in my affliction. for thy word hath quickened me. You see here, when David approaches the word of God, he does so in the spirit of prayer, doesn't he? And we can all put our hands up and say when sometimes when we're busy, or perhaps when we're discouraged, when we come to times like this, where we want to worship the Lord on his day, or perhaps in the prayer meetings, or perhaps in our quiet time, where we're seeking to commit the day to the Lord and seek his face, or in our family devotional times, when we're seeking the Lord, sometimes we can go on autopilot, can't we? Sometimes we can just mow through the scriptures, as it were, without actually taking in that it's the living word. It's the God breathed word through the Spirit. And it gives life, doesn't it? God's word is not just a matter of, yes it gives us doctrine and solid principles, but it gives life through the Spirit. It's God breathed, isn't it? It guides us every day. It will answer, often it will answer your prayers. So when we come into church in the morning, on the Lord's Day, when we approach devotional times in our families, do we prepare our hearts? Do we earnestly have our affections engaged within these things? And I speak to myself as well, because we want to serve the Lord, don't we, wholeheartedly. We want his blessing upon us. This is my comfort in my affliction, for thy word hath quickened me. This is true and lasting comfort amidst affliction. Comfort for the soul. Comfort that's going to last for eternity. You see, the drunkard lifts up his glass amidst disappointments and says, this, this be my comfort in my affliction, this be my escape, as it were. The greedy man lifts up his bank balance and his money bag and his possessions and says, these be my, these be my comforts, as it were. The profane and essential man lifts up and elevates retail therapy. and endless hobbies and entertainments and pursuits and says, these be my gods, these be my comforts. The legalistic Christian lifts up his name, his work and his reputation and says, these be my comforts and not Christ and his daily grace and mercy and love to me. The nominal Christian lifts up this world's ideals and Christ as a backup plan, as a reserve plan, as it were, and says, this is my comfort. This is my comfort. Christ is my backup, as it were. This world is first, and Christ as a backup. They won't say that. This world first, and then Christ. Really, friends, it's unbelief, isn't it? You cannot serve two masters, can you? So either Christ is first or he's last, isn't he? Christ will say on that great and terrible day, depart from me, ye that work iniquity, for I never knew you, I never was first, I never had a true and a right relationship with you. No, David says in verse 50, this is my comfort. in my affliction for thy word hath quickened me." It gives me life and guidance and blessings and answers, as it were, to my prayers. See here, friends, the reviving, restoring, the life-giving power of the word through the Spirit. giving gospel comforts, holy confidence in the Lord. We must never misplace holy confidence with pride or arrogance. Unfortunately, many people do. They'll put down people who hold to these things while they're proud. There's almost like a self-flatuating humility, a false humility. We must be careful about that. about that, there should be a holy confidence about us in the Lord, not in ourselves, of course. There is a false sense of humility where we don't actually stand up for that which is right. David says, this is my comfort, through the word of God, that which is right, as it were, not how I feel, not how my society feels. Yes, I care for them, But only if we're honest with our society, only if we're true to them, and yes, tender and loving, can we make a difference, really. David remembers God's promises and word, which prayerfully, through sorrow and repentance, gives life through the Spirit. And once again, by way of application, be careful on how you approach worshiping and reading God's Word. If you approach God's Word in a flippant way or casually without heartfelt prayer and belief, you will gain very little light, very little restoration and answers to your prayers and inner strength through the Spirit. The Hebrew word here for, or the verb here, for comfort in verse 50, really signifies an aspect of humble submission to God's word, an aspect of reverence here. And we know that when we think about some of the testimonies. in terms of God's people, like Nehemiah, or the thief upon the cross, remember me. There's a humble submission in the word comfort here, which ultimately brings a sense of joy, doesn't it? It brings in joy. Godly sorrow ushers in joy. There's comfort in that. These are not negative things. These are God honoring good things. Of course the opposite of course is true of ungodly and proud men who rebel from the words of God and the judgments of God. Look at verse 51 and 52. The proud have had me greatly in derision. Yet I have not declined from thy law. Verse 52, I remember thy judgments of old, O Lord, and I've comforted myself. Proud men secretly and sometimes openly hate godly and gracious men. Why? Because they are lightbearers, aren't they? Because they testify to the truth as it is in Christ. Christ said himself, didn't he, in John 3.19, and this is the condemnation, that light has come into the world. And men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. And only those who come to God, they have their deeds manifest, that they are wrought in God. They're honest, aren't they? And so proud men make a mockery of the Bible and those who by faith love to be conformed to the Bible's blessings and principles and graces. David says in verse 51 that such men had him in great derision. But they really put him off. They caused him much heartache and much mischief. Their name-calling, their insinuations, as it were. making light of David's holy faith and holy disciplines and principles and holy practice, as it were, they were all designed by Satan to get him out of sight, out of mind. Just be quiet, go into the corner, as it were. And ultimately to draw him back in the Christian life. Did it work? It did the opposite, didn't it? As it did with Paul, because David says in verse 51, latter half, yet have I not declined from thy law. You see, true Christianity has a very high view of God's law, especially the righteousness of the law, not for justification, but as a rule and a guide for life, doesn't it? And note, friends, believers are strengthened during affliction by remembering and meditating upon God's words, God's judgments of old. Verse 52 says, I remember thy judgments of old, O Lord, the covenant-keeping Lord, the Lord Jehovah. I remember thy judgments of old, O Lord, and have comforted myself. Comforted by God's deliverances. He's not comforted by his own tactics or his own works, he's comforted by God's judgments, that he is a delivered and a forgiven man. Verse 53 says, horror have taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law. You see when David contemplates God's judgments of old, He is not only comforted by God's salvation and grace and mercy to him, but he is at the same time when he thinks upon God's judgments of old, he is also horrified at what will become of the wicked. of what will become of those who make light of God's laws and God's ways, as it were. He's horrified at that. He says, horror have taken hold on me because the wicked that forsake thy law. And that really tells us something about the believer, doesn't it? It tells us, really, he remembers that God He remembers what God did to those who forsake his laws, who forsake his testimonies, who forsake his promises. He knows their end. He knows the basis of their hope. And he is deeply troubled by it. He is deeply troubled by the scores of those around them that they are headed to a Christless eternity. And that brings horror to him. And by way of application, this should teach us, really, a very important principle in the Christian life. And that, of course, is to love the sinner, but to hate the sins of the sinner. Just as we hate our own sins, we also have to hate the sins of the sinner, aren't we? Think about Jude, at the end of Jude, pulling them out, as it were, of the fire, even hating that which is spotted by the flesh, hating it as it were. And this of course is especially important for ministers and for fathers and so on. We must have a hatred for sin, but we must love the sinner. Because we know the end, don't we? We know the end and what's going to come to that. And it moves us to evangelize and to speak of Christ, doesn't it? That is the whole purpose, it's not for us. We know what's going to befall them. David was horrified to think all these people who make light of God's word, who make light of God's laws, that mock the preacher, as it were, that mock a strict and loving Christian life, as it were. I'm going to know the end. I go into the house of God and I know their end, as it were. I know what's going to happen to them. And so we're moved with love, aren't we, for sinners. But at the same time there is this hatred, isn't there, for sin, as it were. And I'm sorry to say that we are living, in the West anyway, we see in the ministry really a very careless attitude to this. You know, the Bible talks about, doesn't it, about being a soldier, being a husband and a farmer. It talks about order, doesn't it? You can imagine a farmer or a soldier not being on watch, or not in the evening feeding the pigs, or going about spiritual disciplines, as it were. What's going to happen to the farm? It's going to be a mess, isn't it? What's going to happen to the soldier in the evenings if he hasn't got spiritual disciplines in place? He's going to let sin in. That's going to affect the whole company, isn't it? You see, we cannot have a careless regard to these things. Friends, saying this again, is that we must embrace the means of grace, spiritual disciplines, and order. You know, it really frustrates me when I hear of this type of autopilot type of Christianity. And we could be free about things. Yes, we're given liberty, but the liberty is one where we cultivate, like a farmer does, that which God gives us, which is holy and blessing and is to his honor. And sometimes when I mention these things, things like order and spiritual disciplines and holy habits, and the means of grace, the first thing that happens, you're a legalist, or you're proud, or something other. These things are God-honouring and they will help young people in the faith to cultivate these things out of love. We do these things out of love. So we cannot be careless about these things. We must be honest and true to the Lord, even if we're name called, even if people insinuate things to us. Because what's gonna matter is what God thinks of us. And that's true of David, that's true of all believers of all times. And so we see, do we not, this principle here today. And so with that being said, despite outward circumstances, and I'm coming to a close here. Sorry for the length of these things, but I'm just trying to take us through the word. The Christian is a very happy man, isn't he? The Christian is a very happy man or woman, I should say. despite outward circumstances. You know, you can have many things going wrong for you. You can be engaged in many battles, can't you? Honestly, I felt like this this year. It's just this last year has been a hard one, personally for me. I've been engaged in so many different spiritual battles that have been going on. Circumstantially, outwardly, there can be lots of things that can get us down. You can be in pain. You can suffer pain, sickness. Satan can try to get in in your family or just complicate things. There can be many things. But deep down there's that happiness, isn't there? Are you happy? Is there a joy in the Lord? My children will tell you I'm a happy man. I might be very serious sometimes in the pulpit, but I'm a happy man. It takes a lot to get me down. What really gets me down, in all honesty, is silly feuds between loved ones, brothers, sisters in Christ, family. That's really what gets me down. Other things we can bear, can't we? We can bear to a degree, we can bear, you know, in the office, we've had a tough week this week in the office, I can bear those things. But there's true happiness, isn't there, and joy in the Christian. That's why it says in verse 54, thy statutes have been my songs and the house of my pilgrimage. Believers love God's law because they receive it at the hands of Christ, the Saviour, don't they? as a rule and guide of life, as it were, for their sanctification, not for their justification. They see the beauty, the protection, the guidance, the blessing in the righteousness of the Lord. They see the beauty of that, to living a righteous life, depending upon the Lord being their righteousness. And that righteousness flows over in song, in praise, in worship, in service, doesn't it? and so much more, and it causes them to sing. Thy statutes have been my songs and the house of my pilgrimage. I'm a pilgrim, just making my way through. I'm on my way to that heavenly city of Jerusalem, as it were, that city of Zion. I'm on my way to a better place where sin will not spoil anymore. And if I can be frank, once again, are you happy? Is there the joy of the Lord? Is there a happiness there that gets you up every morning, that makes you sing by the way as it were? That's really what's in a Christian's heart. There's a happiness and there's a joy there, isn't there? Because the Lord is the joy of the Christian. His love is better than life itself, isn't it? And again, as a way of application, let us be careful, friends, not to pick up this kind of very negative type of Christianity. You know, where, and this is all over YouTube, by the way, conspiracy theories, or just, this is corrupt, that is corrupt, everything is corrupt, as it were, and we develop this mindset, really, where everything is negative, everything is corrupt, as it were. And yes, we must be discerning Christians about COVID, about lots of things. There's lots of things. But are we positive people? Can people see the joy in the Lord? Do we think about that which is pure and holy and lovely and God-honouring? Can people see that in us? I'm a happy man. It's not just about the negative things. Oh, they're corrupt, the government's corrupt. Yes, that's true. These things are true. But is there some wholesomeness, some goodness? Can we just watch a wildlife documentary and say, oh, the trees are corrupt, they're falling, and the animals are falling? No, yes, that's true. But look at the loveliness as well of what God has created for you. Think of the dog who comes up and wags his tail, happy to see you. God has given these comforts for us, little things, tokens. Are we thankful? Is this joy? You know, this is sometimes true in the Reformed faith, unfortunately. We could be right misery guts, can't we? But we honestly can. We could be right misery guts and focus on everything. Where's the thankfulness and the joy in serving the Lord? We need to get back to that, don't we? We really do. Well time is against me, let me just say, I know I said this in closing, but I really just want to finish off the rest of the psalm. Verses 55 and 56. I remembered thy name, O Lord, in the night, and have kept thy law. This I had, verse 56, because I kept thy precepts. The psalmist here shows us that true saving faith is seven days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It's constant, isn't it? There's no holidays from being a Christian, is there? It's a constant thing. In the evenings there were loving, holy disciplines. And I say loving. There was a desire, there was affection there. I want to serve the Lord. And this is very important for husbands. Are we praying with our wives? This is important for those who have children. Are you praying and worshipping the Lord and singing to the Lord in the evenings? Is there altar time? And again, this is true in a church life as well. Are we encouraging these things? David did. Over and over again he did. All the saints did. All the testimonies did. Psalm 63, we read earlier, didn't we? Verses five and seven. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness. With marrow and fatness! That's the best part, isn't it? Of the meat. The marrow and the fatness. I won't get into that. And my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. Verse six. When I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watchers. In the night watchers. Why? Because thou hast been my help. Therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. Because you've been my help. Because you are my saviour. Because you loved me and gave me everything. And your love constrains me. to love Thee, to give myself wholeheartedly to Thee. It was part of David's daily routine, spiritual routine and practice, to remember God's Word in the evenings and at all times. His covenant promises he remembered. his divine character, the power of his name, his ways, his testimonies. I have remembered thy name. You see, in the evenings, when we remember the name of the Lord, we're not just sticking on the telly, as it were, and vegging out. It could be good things, by the way, good wholesome things. And I'm not saying we shouldn't be doing these things. Obviously, we're at liberty in those things, but do we remember the name of the Lord? Are we spending time in the evenings just vegging out, as it were? So many people do. So many Christians you speak to, they hate to talk about altar time. They hate to talk about family devotional time. And whenever you talk about these things, you're a legalist or some other name. Know these things, dear friends, we ought to give ourselves to. David remembers the name of the Lord in the evenings and there is power in that name. It's the covenant keeping name, the promise that God has promised to those. He thinks upon God's divine character and promises and name and covenant and testimonies and ways and it has a wonderful sanctifying effect. And often God answers our prayers when it's met with gospel obedience. And we know really from David, this was a hard lesson for David to learn, don't we? Because we know from David's gross sin and fall with Bathsheba that much sin can get in in the evenings when we're tired. I'll put my hands up. I'll be the first to put both my hands up. That when we are tired, and we come home, I used to remember before I was a Christian, just stick on the telly or just go to the pub or just give myself to fitness or whatever it was, anything, just to keep my senses occupied, as it were. And we know that in the evenings, dear friends, for many Christians, that's when we're most at our vulnerable, it's a vulnerable time. because we're tired and the shield of faith can be let down. David in 2 Samuel 11, read that carefully because Dave rose up out of bed in the evening, didn't he? And instead of fighting God's battles, instead of being on spiritual watch, what happened to him? He rose up in the evening, took a walk upon the housetops, houses were flat, Jerusalem, the roofs, and what did he behold? He behold a woman bathing. He shouldn't even have been up then. Perhaps he shouldn't have given himself to prayer or the word of God. He gave... He wasn't on spiritual watch, was he? As he normally would be. He should have been all fighting God's battles, as it were, and serving the Lord. So these are just some of the lessons, I think, that we can take from this, from these things. True faith always works its way out in practical obedience, and loving obedience, and holy routines and disciplines. Will you and I remember, David did, will you and I challenge for us, will we remember these things? I trust that we will and that we will all utterly depend upon the Lord and we'll know those wonderful answers to our prayers and God's grace and when we do fall, he'll be there to of course pick us up. I think we'll leave it at that, amen. Amen. Feel free to contact us at Sovereign Grace Church in Tiverton. Email us at grace2seekers at gmail.com. That's grace2seekers at gmail.com. Alternatively, you can visit our website at www.sovereigngracereformedchurch.co.uk.