My Lord, how excellent. When there's different things, you know, I sent you all my stuff that I did on Psalm 23. I did a paper when I was in college, and when you're low, there's Psalm 86. It says, bow down your ear, O Lord, and hear me, for I am poor and needy. preserve my life. I'm holy. You are my God, Savior, servant who trusts in you. And there's Psalm 100 that, you know, I was one of the ones who had kids. Hopefully have in their hearts from, you know, and the song from In my teens, there's that whole song about hallelujah, glory, hallelujah, praise God. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye, all ye lambs. There's just so many different ones, but one that's weird that isn't a song, but that just when you read through, you come through, you go like, wow, is that really in the Bible? There's Psalm 135. And does anybody ever think that that's like the greatest psalm or anything? No, probably not. But there's this one part in it on verses 5 and 6. And it says, And this is a verse that somehow kills me. And it's such a straightforward statement and you have to believe a statement of truth. That leads to just support the whole sovereignty of God thing, which I never understood as a younger adult. But somehow I wanted to, I think. So understanding the sovereignty of God, which is supported in probably all throughout the Psalms, has made all the difference in the world in my life. Anyway. No, thank you. And you probably touched on a couple of good things for us to consider. There are, in fact, so many psalms that may mean something to us at one time or another. Bless the Lord, O Holy Soul, and all that is within me. Bless His Holy Name. Yeah. A lot of our focus in book one of the Psalms has been lament and the complaint, the crying out, and seeking the comfort of the Lord and his sovereignty and his care for his people. And there are some that are just outright praise and just lift you off your chair almost. And it might not be whole psalms that stick with us. It might be verses or stanzas or a stanza or two that just have walked with us from one time or another. And then you and I, I've really enjoyed the chats we've had about that the psalms that we've sung, their choruses, because we kind of have a view of hymnody, they might be considered praise choruses. They came into play or they came into currency in the way we sing them during the 1960s and 1970s in what was known then as Jesus music. Street people. I knew it as Maranatha music. Maranatha music. And yeah, it quickly gelled around there, the label and the cover chapel movement and things like that. And yeah, we just kind of sing this thing all over again. I'm trying to think of which one it was now. It's in a book when we talk about the greatest Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God. The mountain of His holiness is Mount Zion on the sides of the North. Yeah, do you know the first situation? Yeah. When I was singing that in middle school, that goes back, that's a verse that goes back. I wasn't sure, what are we talking about? We're talking about a mountain. And yet, over the years, it's kind of opened up. You're thinking, here's Mount Zion. It's a type of the heavenly city, the one we're looking forward to. The writer of the Hebrews talks about Abraham and the fathers in the Old Testament. looking for a heavenly city. They didn't tend their hopes to a plot of land. They were looking for a heavenly city. And it's only been all these years after having that chorus rattle around in my head that it kind of opened up and some of the meaning started coming out. So let me go ahead and broaden the the opportunity to even just verses in psalms to folks that might want to. Dean and team, I do have sort of an outline of a particular psalm that we may get to, but as this is the last Sunday in the portion of the psalms that I'm able to teach. Basically, it's kind of an open forum or open opportunity, psalms or verses within psalms that might be meaningful to you or that you've grown to appreciate in various ways. I am going to pick on John just for a moment because not only have Laurie and I talked about singing psalms in the choruses and the verses, John and I have talked afterward a lot about how meaningful the lament psalms are too. And you think of men like Martin Luther who just poured out their heart to God in that way. I do have one though. Are you still? No, I don't mean to do all that. No, no, I mean, are you going to follow up on that? No, no, I just, I'm picking on you. Oh, OK. No, Psalm 55 is an interesting one that over the years, and it means David is a mass kill. Now, I can't remember what is a mass kill. In contrast to a lament, is it? I'm not sure. There's a variety of opinion. And there's a small set of opinion that says it's a teaching psalm. It's a didactic psalm. And yet, there's 13 of them throughout the whole book. And not all of them are clearly teaching Psalms, but there seems to be something there. Well, in this one, one of the things that was really striking to me was, as I heard a sermon on this and the interpretation of one word, which really gives a depth of meaning to it that is not apparent at first. But, you know, he's being persecuted by somebody, he's crying out to God and all that stuff. Then we find out that this, he says, my companion in verse, what is that? 20 or so. My companion stretched out his hand. You find out that this person that he's having this trouble with is his companion and that he had described a little bit of that relationship that he had before. Says, my companion stretched out his hand against his friends. He violated his covenant. His speech was smooth as butter, yet war was in his heart. His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn sword." So you know, as he's moved through the psalm, you come to realize this is someone that's very close here and he's betrayed him and attacked him. But then in verse 22 he says, "'Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you. He will never permit the righteous to be moved.'" Now the word that I was came to understand was the word burden. You know, cast your burden on the Lord. Now that sounds, you know, you've got this burden you're carrying and you cast it on the Lord. But the word behind burden is appointed lot. Which gives it a whole new depth of meaning. In other words, cast your appointed lot on the Lord and he will sustain you. Well, appointed lot has to be appointed by someone. Then you realize that it's the Lord that has appointed your lot so that you can give it back to Him. And that is really an insightful thing to realize that there are no accidents and that in all of this is again the goal is to grow us more and more dependent on God. So He gives us these burdens so that we can come back to Him and grow closer. And that's how I've interpreted it. And that's just been very helpful when you start to look at all the things that happen in your life and you wonder, what in the world's going on here? We've gone from entire psalms, to passages, to verses, to particular words. And how much bearing they have on what a psalm works in us, in our understanding, our reverence, our dependence on the Lord. One Sunday not too long ago, we were talking about poetry in particular, and I asked James about how poetry works in our understanding, and he talked about not so much what to think, but how to think, and sometimes how to feel. And it's things like, you know, we've heard so far that that's what these psalms do. They get inside us and they touch us and they do more, it's hard not to use language like that, but they affect us and they impact us and they teach us and they do touch us in human ways that something like a gospel or historical narrative or an epistle might not do. These other genres inform us and teach us and mold us and shape us in their way. And there's a very human way a writer of a psalm can express what they're thinking, feeling, and praying and singing. We identify with that through the word and through the spirit and through the structure of those psalms. Psalm 61 is another psalm. Hear my cry, O Lord, attendant to my prayer. From the ends of the earth will I cry unto thee, and when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I. And I'll add to that verse three, for you have been my refuge, strong tower against the enemy. That sheltering. But another interesting aspect of this is you almost see now, in a very real sense, the need for trials, tribulations, persecutions, all of these things. Because, notice, all of these things we're describing come out of those types of situations. And that where you really come to know God in the sense of, in Hebrew, to know is to experience, enter into the experience of the reality of that, not just a cognitive, in my mind, understanding. You've entered into that reality. And that through these, I think that this is the nature of the wilderness, again, where we're at the end of ourselves. And that's where God becomes real in those situations, and not just an idea. Yeah. Oh, okay, I didn't know who you were pointing at. So, so important. Yeah, I should have said you're the only person that far. Okay, I'm going to next contestant. Psalm 4610, I actually have that on my wall at home, where it says, Be still and know that I am God. I have a friend that gave me that, and she told me to put that somewhere where I can see it in my house, to remind myself of that every once in a while. And so, I do. And I like the way that that says it, because like she also said, you know, if you emphasize each word, like just like just say it but have one word emphasize and read the rest like say you know emphasize the word be and read the rest of it and it means something different each time and I thought that was kind of neat too. I'm trying to do that. I'm trying to do that. It'd be great if on a word document or something like that you could work through it. Increase the font on one word at a time or something. Be still and know that I am God. One thing I heard about that verse is in the context of the rest of the psalm. And we often think of it as be still. go into your lotus position or something. And just be at rest and things like that. But in the context of the rest of the psalm, it's a very chaotic, a very turbulent, very unsettled psalm. It opens up with refuge and strength again, help in times of trouble. We talk about the mountains being moved and the river, and you've got nations raging and kingdoms tottering and the earth melting and all the way through that. And when you get to verse 10, be still and know that I am God. Being still, again, hinging on word, the word behind that is, it might be crass to say, shut up. But there's a force of strength in there that goes kind of close to that. It says, set aside your turbulence and know that I've got it. It's not, you know, there's no lotus position involved. But yeah, and definitely when you do set aside that turbulence, you know, whatever place finds you, And then you go on to the next, I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth. And then we have the further conference, the Lord of Hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our fortress. There's that rest. Most of you know my life is chaos and it just kind of ebbs and flows. Every once in a while you know the un-chaos that's Hallmark Movies, but there you go. The un-chaos. Did you like that word? And then James goes into chaos when there's a Hallmark movie on. No, he just goes into the study. Yeah, we play that game. And go into the pantry when there's a Hallmark movie. We play that game. Can you name that Hallmark movie in three notes or less? And then I hear this groan. Anyway. My favorite is Psalm 130, 11... I don't know, I guess it's... The Lord is merciful and gracious, full of anger and abounding in mercy. He will not only strive with us, nor will he keep his anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. How did you come to that? I know it was the assurance of a partner in our wedding. And I've just loved it since then. It's just such a comfort. It's not a quiz. It's not a normal exam. some people have experienced in some ways in the times of their lives. I remember verse 12, at times past, as far as the east, that way, is from the west. And no matter which west you're talking about, no matter which east you're talking about, just like John 1, in the beginning, no matter which beginning you pick, God was always there. And the Word as the Son of God was always there with it. So is the distance from our sins and our need for pardon. And I don't know if it's a psalm or a similar one, He casts our iniquities into the depths of the sea. It's a good reminder that his forgiveness is not like human forgiveness where we remember. Yeah, we clean up the argument and stuff like that, but it's still left a mark on us and it's still kind of in the air sometimes. And doesn't this just reinforce and encourage us how much we should be, how much more we should be reading and soaking in the Word, how appropriate it is to so many different parts of our lives, how real it is, how relevant. And the more we read it, the more it seeps into our hearts. The more that happens, the more we see the, I mean, it's just like, it's a continuing, throughout our life, I think, if we make that effort in the beginning. Yeah. And referring to the Psalms again, it's even more important to read them slowly, read them carefully, mull them over, just chew on them, and let them get inside you. remember them from time to time, or just know where to go and find things. Most of the songs talk about God's steadfast love, and I just think it's such a good reminder that His love is steadfast. And one of my favorites is 36.7, How Precious is Your Steadfast Love. I tend to forget that it's steadfast. It just doesn't change. Yeah. I take that you're using the English standard. Yes. And I like the one Laura picked for the same reason. He continually talks about his steadfast love. Slow to anger because he loves us that much. That phrase itself has become my favorite in the Psalms. The Hebrew word is hesed, and it's faithfulness, it's dead fast love, it's mercy, it's grace, it's kindness. Covenant-loving God. It's like solid. I always think of it as solid. Yeah. Wavering. One of the reasons I've come to like it, because they so consistently, the ESV so consistently uses that phrase, steadfast love. It's going to get in your thinking the more you hear it. And unless there was a contextual reason for, like they used, In Psalm 23, they didn't use dead fast love. But that particular Hebrew word was there. My goodness, or surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. Goodness and chesed will follow me all the days of my life. So I mean, it's contextual. We're so used to, and it might sound foreign in Psalm 23. But the consistency really has stuck with me, and like I said, I'm with you there. Steadfast love, I just hang on to that. But the shocking thing is to qualify. It says, this is on 103, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear Him. It's not to everyone. It's qualified. And then down below it says, But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him. It's not everyone. You have to be in that category. And then it goes on to those who keep His covenant and remember to do His commandments. So, but that follows back to the covenant aspect. It's covenant faithfulness and grace and mercy. It's not, it's different than his, what do you call it, your common grace love that provides and things. It's qualified. So then you have to wrestle, well, do I fear the Lord? And even there we have confidence, not in ourselves, but in his covenant, bringing us into the covenant. keeping us in the covenant, and that's why he doesn't fail, because he made the promises. But this is the thing that is so important and so lacking, this covenant aspect of the Lord. Everything is out of his covenants and his faithfulness to his covenants and his promises and stuff, and that so many Churches, they don't even use the word covenant. They don't even have any, it's like a bad word, you know. It's kind of... I think we should. I think this is a lead in. I think we should find somebody who would do that. Well, we should start praying about it and see who God brings. But I mean, this is, again, it's taken a long road for me to arrive here, but I see what a A vacuum is in so many other theologies because they don't have this understanding and this depth of substance that is there. And it is interesting that, like you say, cassette is covenant. It's within that covenant structure. You open up a good good topic with Step Past Love because it reminds us of, often enough, at least in my memory, church experiences were, you know, yet essentially, again, it's kind of crass, but you've got to stand in the Lord's good sight. Even though you're saved by grace, you've got to stand in His good sight. And yet, We're not keeping ourselves on his good side. He is showing steadfast and unfailing love. It reminds me of Lamentations 3. The tender mercies of the Lord are new every morning. I'm probably butchering that. But it's new every morning, and it doesn't change. And that was in the context of Israel being under correction and exile. And yet, assuming that the writer was Jeremiah, was sure that he was good, he was going to do all things right and all things well for his people. Back to Psalm 55, I don't remember who brought that up, but the villain in it, back to verse 20, he's put forth his hand against those who were at peace with him. He has broken his covenant. And that's a real reminder of who's the covenant keeper and who's the covenant breaker. We might talk about our enemies being nasty and ruthless and breaking covenant and all these things, but it comes back on us. We're the covenant breakers. We're still the covenant breakers. The only one who can ever say, I kept my end of the bargain. I was becoming a keeper is God. And that manifests itself perfectly in Christ. He honored everybody. He never came out of that promise. And even with us who are so It's so quick to jump ship or doubt or any other thing. Back to Psalm 103, about him being so steadfast. How can that God be that extreme in His covenant-keeping and steadfast love when His people are still such wrong covenant-breakers? I'm smiling, not laughing, but smiling. at the significance of what you said. How can he be so steadfast when we are not? Moment by moment, we're just not there. One of the prayers I think we've drawn from the valley of vision, is that we need to repent of our repentance. The Heileberg Catechism talks about, can we ever meet God's law? And the answer to that catechism is no. We increase our debt daily. Not only is the interest rate high, but we're continuing to sink deeper in debt by our sin. Our legal status changes in Christ and in the covenant, and yet we're still sinners. And it's His unfailing, steadfast love and His covenant-keeping promises that keep us and sustain us and will eventually bring us to glorified state. It is just shy of 1030, so my outline will go by the wayside. I will tell you what I was going to talk about in Psalm 45. Title it, very simply, A Royal Wedding. And I guess because I've been trying to outline things and look at psalms as a psalm. And I won't say it's academic, but it tends to be kind of a preparation sort of thing. I was looking at it as a hymn, a poem, a psalm. My heart overflows with a pleasing theme. I address my verses to the king. My tongue is like a pen that would ready strive. And it's a wedding song. What chapter, sorry? 45. Oh, 45. And he I mean, even the opening verse is incredible, because you don't have too many instances where the poet, the psalmist, says, this is what I'm going to do. He lays it out as an epic poem, almost. I think of Beowulf, the introductory verses in Beowulf where, listen, there's this tale coming up. And the poet here is saying, listen, here it is, these verses I'm writing to the king. My tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe. And some of the various translations, the NIV or King James, use even more flowery language that draws Drew Meehan. And he praises the king. You're the most handsome of the sons of men. He charges him to ride forth in majesty and victoriously for truth and meekness and righteousness. I'm going to skip a little bit. He praises a bride-in-waiting, talks about her beauty, her garments, the procession of the royal wedding party and how they're all. And the NIV says, listen, daughter, your king is enthralled by your beauty. And it just, just, I mean, it's a beautiful love poem. Don't tell Michelle. You can tell Michelle, but by saying don't tell Michelle, you can't. I just thought it was a very romantic poem. Oh my god, Michelle. I didn't think it was me. Michelle is here. She's here. She's here. But I mean, this was such a romantic poem. And even more significantly, of course, is verses 6 and 7. After praising the king and his strength and charging him with his kingly duties and recognizing that God had anointed him, it says in verse 6 and 7, your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness. You have loved righteousness and hated weakness. Therefore, God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions. I'll include verse 8 and 9. Your robes, or at least verse 8, your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia from ivory palaces. Stringed instruments make you glad. It goes beyond, way beyond, royal flattery. royal poetry, just the romantic wedding song, and goes to prophetic levels and talks about your throne, oh God, identifying the deity of the king. And we know these verses from Hebrews chapter 1 in, I think it's 5 and 7. 5 through 9, roughly. I mean, it kind of expanded that context. Identifying the deity. One, we don't know which king they were talking about in this psalm. Very possibly Solomon, because he had a lot of foreign bribes and things like that. But one greater than Solomon is referred to in verses 6 and 7. So that brings the significance of the psalm to us even more. Calvin, because of time I won't go there totally, but Calvin had a beautiful application. Not only, he didn't, the portion that I read wasn't talking about the king and the fulfillment of Psalm 45, but he did talk about the bride. And he said, He talked about the ceremony a little bit and taking foreign brides and calling a bride to himself and one verse in there says Forget your fathers, forget your people, forget the land of your birth, and join yourself to your husband, the king. And again, probably not picking the phrase I would prefer, but basically the great reward of joining yourself to your husband and your king. And he applied that to the church. Forget where you came from. and give yourself in full allegiance to your king. And he talked about the political aspects, if you will. Think of Ephesians chapter 2. In Christ, the wall of separation between Jew and Gentile is broken down in Christ. We are now the royal bride. So I'm going to stop there. It's beautiful. I was thinking about two or three other psalms to close with, and that one just jumped right to the head of the line. Because like I said, it's not only romantic and beautiful and well-crafted, but it is such a rich psalm to meditate on. Our king, our bridegroom, us as his people and his church, I think we can sing part of that song. Oh Lord our God, how majestic is your name in all the earth. How wonderful is your grace and mercy and steadfast love to us who do not deserve such steadfast love. How great is Your forgiveness, casting our iniquities as far from the East as from the West. How wonderful is Your Mount Zion on the side of the North. We praise You, O God, and we exalt Your name. Help us to meditate on You and on Your Word and Your Psalms. And we pray that we do these things to Your glory and for our good in Christ's name.