Appear, cause me to know the way wherein my path should be. Oh, why my soul on high I do lift up to Thee? From mine eternity, in safety do me guide, Because I'm plea'd to thee, Lord, that thou may'st me hide. My God, the learn of Thou, teach me Thy righteousness, Thy strength could lead me to the land of uprightness. We return again this morning to Psalm 71. Psalm 71, and you'll find my text in verse 8. Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day. The congregation who were inside us, though they found themselves in a terrible situation there in the prison, for the sake of Christ, were found giving praise to God. Acts 16 verse 25, and at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God, and the prisoners heard them. They were in pain. They had known great sorrow, yet they praised the Lord. Literally, they hymned to the Lord. But a psalmist was in a difficulty. In a time of trial, like Paul and Silas, in which he struggled, as we have seen thus far. Yet here is his testimony in verse 8. Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day. This morning I'd like us to consider this theme, praising God in affliction. Praising God in affliction. Now just notice verse 7. When we come to verse 8, as we considered last week, I am as a wander unto many. People looked on and mocked him and scorned him. He was in trial. We noticed his peace, that he knew where to turn to. We've just sung of that, haven't we? I flee unto thee to hide me. Verse 7, but thou art my strong refuge. In trial, he knew where to go to. For in this trial he was found praising the Lord. Verse eight, let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honor all the day. Let us come directly now to these words. I'd like us to consider first of all affliction, secondly God, and thirdly praise. Affliction, God, and praise. Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with Diana all the day. He wasn't in a green pasture particularly. No, he was in a valley. Yet here in the valley, he looks up and though he had known those struggles and continued to do so to some measure, he desired to praise the Lord. The way was hard, yet his heart was moved by the Lord and what the Lord had done for him. And he was found admiring the Lord. and praising him and desiring to continue to do so. Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day. Now we do not know the particular occasion when this psalm was penned, there's no title for this psalm, yet we know the psalmist was in difficulty He was afflicted. He was surrounded by his enemy. Just notice verse 2. Deliver me in thy righteousness that calls me to escape. Incline my knee unto me and save me. He's earnestly praying to the Lord because he's in trial. that the Lord would bow down his ear, and hear, and deliver. So there were the difficulties he was in because of his enemies. But then consider further, he knew the struggles of advancing age as set forth in this psalm, just notice verse 9. Cast me not off in the time of old age, forsake me not when my strength faileth. He knew the burden of aging, and the struggles of old age. Verse 18, Now also when I am old and grey, ne'er, O God, forsake me not, until I have showed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come. When he was in trial, he was suffering affliction for a number of reasons, and we face affliction in this world. It may be because of our enemies, or it may be, as the psalmist also was facing here, the struggles of advancing years. We face affliction. The psalmist said in Psalm 34 verse 19, many are the afflictions of the righteous. Not just one or two, but many. Now we can consider struggles in light of the flesh, which can be common to all, but there's particular trials also for the Lord's people as they follow the Lord. Many are the afflictions of the righteous. Many in the world struggle. We struggle similar things to them, but there are extra struggles because we are following the Lord. Many afflictions. And we're not really surprised, are we, that we suffer in this world? Yes, at times with plunge and some difficulty, and we didn't see it coming, but when we reflect, We know in light of scripture that we are going to suffer in this world. Many are the afflictions of the righteous. And Job wrote in Job 14 verse 1, man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of shadow. We see first of all the brevity of life, our lives are but of a few days, and we also see By and large, what we're going to face, and that's trouble. Now we're thankful for the green pastures. And the Lord is so gracious, isn't he? He comes alongside and he makes us lie down in those green pastures. We know a little warning. We know that strengthening through the word. And it's not the Lord, isn't it? There are the green pastures. There are the seasons of joy. And we're thankful. Psalm 4, thou hast put gladness in my heart. And we're thankful for those times We know what it is to laugh and know enjoyment. But there are the barriers, there are the storms that we must face. It's not all tears, but there are many tears in this life. And there is a cross to bear for those who follow Christ. Luke 9, verse 23, and he said unto them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me. There is a cross, there is trial that we face throughout our whole life in following the Lord. There are struggles in following the Lord that we must face. But there are also, as we come to this psalm, struggles of the mind and struggles of old age. Many are the afflictions. Well, let's just open this up a little further. We think of the context here. The psalmist, from affliction, is praising the Lord. Well, first of all, struggles in following the Lord, yet not praising. David had those that persecuted him and caused him trouble. Notice verse 10. For mine enemies speak against me, I lay wait for my soul, take counsel together, saying, God hath forsaken him, persecute and take him, for there is none to deliver him. They taught them themselves, as we see in verse 11. And it came to his ear, and he was struggling. He knew adversity within. And there were those that opposed him. Notice verse 13. Let them be confounded and consumed that are atrocities to my soul. There were those who were so opposed him. Yes, they sought to hurt his body. But what they really were intending to do was hurting his heart, his soul. They were atrocities to his soul. Now we can think of the devil. What do we read in 1 Peter 5 verse 8? Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, has a role in that. Walketh about seeking whom he may give out. Your adversary, the devil, seeks your hat. But then here we consider enemies, enemies of Christ, those who don't love him. They seek our hat. They're adversaries of our soul. Turn with me to Psalm 57 verse 4. My soul is among lions, and I even lie among them that are set on fire. Even the sons of men, whose teeth are spares and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. You see what they're seeking to do? Hurt you. Hurt your heart. When they speak against us, notice verse 10. For my enemies speak against me, and they that lay wait for my solitude counsel together. There are those who are laying wait, and they reason. How can we hurt that Christian? Maybe a young Christian, or an older Christian. How can we hurt them? What can we say to really bring them down? And we need to be aware of this. There is this struggle we face in following the law. There are those who meet together, they reason together, and they will act to hurt us. They will speak to put us in fear. Remember Nehemiah's enemies? What do we read in Nehemiah 6, verse 14? My God, think upon Tobiah and Samarit. according to these their works, and of the prophetess, Nehemiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear." To put him in fear, and it's not a pleasant thing. When we're put in fear, maybe somebody in the school, the workplace, or the community says something, and it puts you in fear. Maybe something said in the workplace, in the office. And it's not pleasant. It may be you discover you are the subject of gossip. I remember in my first employment near Romsey, I one day was aware somebody came and told me they're talking about you. And that hurt me. It's not pleasant, is it? When one comes and makes known people are speaking against you, it hurts. Words hurt. Actions hurt. All should be careful in this world what they say. Yet so many have no concern and they hurt believers. We are surrounded by our enemies in this world and we shouldn't be surprised then when we face such affliction. God's servants will be prime targets. Remember what the Apostle Paul says. Turn with me to 2 Corinthians 11 verse 23. Are they ministers of Christ? I speak as of all. I am more. In labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I, forty stripes saved one. Thrice I was beaten with rocks, once I was stoned, so on and so forth. Then verse 26, in journey and soften in perils of water, in perils of robbers, in perils of mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils among false brethren. What he suffered, and God's servants will know what it is to struggle because of those that oppose them in this world. The devil doesn't like the preaching of the gospel, so the devil will go particularly for those who stand and preach the gospel. But we will all suffer. We will all know what it is to struggle in the way that the psalmist did here. We will be hated. John 15, verse 18, if the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. It's not a pleasant thing to be hated, is it? who desire love to be shown. But men will hate us. Why? Because they hate our saving. Well, there are the struggles in following the Lord that we face because of the enemy. But then comes a second in here in light of this psalm, struggles of the mind. Now we see this in verse two. Deliver me in thy righteousness and cause me to escape. Incline thine ear unto me. and save me. Now he was struggling because of his enemies. We see that plenty. He was struggling because of them but let's focus now he was struggling particularly in his mind because of them. Deliver me in thy righteousness and cause me to escape. Incline thine ear unto me and save me. He so desires the Lord to so listen and bring relief. that he would know escape he was struggling that determined me to psalm 88 verse 2 and verse 3 let my prayer come before thee and incline thine ear unto my cry for my soul is full of troubles and my life draweth nigh unto the grave now immediately do we not think of the saviour there but you consider the psalmist was full of troubles. It so affected his mind and his heart. And he so desires the Lord to incline his ear and deliver. And that's what we see in verse 2 here. Listen to Spurgeon commenting on verse 2 here. Stoop to my feebleness and hear my faint whispers. Be gracious to my infirmities. Here we see in verse 2 the psalmist struggling within and that's not easy is it? When we struggle within we face our enemies in this world and they do put us in fear, they do speak unkind words and as a result we can struggle within our mind. But not only because of our enemies but because of other things. We all know to some measure, but some know even more, the struggles of the mind. It's the silence, he just wants relief. One can struggle with no thoughts, perplexing thoughts, anxious thoughts. Turn with me to 2 Corinthians 4, verse 8. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed. We are perplexed, the apostle, and those that serve with him, but not in despair. Persecuted, but not forsaken. Cast down, but not destroyed. Perplexed. Cast down was the apostle. He knew the struggles of the mind. And we all will face the struggles of the mind, but there are some who face even a greater measure. And it's not easy. deliver me in thy righteousness and cause me to escape. Incline thine ear unto me and save me. He just wants to be relieved. He wants to be delivered. He's broken. He's struggling. Turn with me to Psalm 69 verse 20. Reproach hath broken my heart and I am full of heaviness. I looked for some to take pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found them. That's the state the psalmist was in, full of heaviness, full of struggle within. And as you know, if you go to that psalm, we'll just touch on this in a moment, it's full of Christ. Reproach hath broken my heart. I am full of heaviness. Go to the Garden of Gethsemane, and there you'll see a commentary on Psalm 69, verse 20. began to be heavy. Psalm 119, verse 28, my soul melted for heaviness. Strengthen thou me according unto thy word. Now it's interesting there, isn't it? The psalmist knew where strength would come from, but his soul was melting. My soul melted for heaviness. How descriptive that is. What a reality. The believer can know The heaviness comes. The heaviness on the mind comes. And it begins, as it were, to melt the mind. One's beginning to really struggle. They want to look to the Lord. They want to be strong. But the epilogue's words are, The silence of my soul melted the heaviness. It's not easy, is it? Yes, you're looking to the Lord, but still you know that heaviness within. And then comes in 1 Peter 1 verse 6, wherein you greatly rejoice, says Peter, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptation. It wasn't the body Peter was affirming to, no. It was the mind, wasn't it? And the heart. Ye are in heaviness. through manifold temptations. There are the struggles of the mind. Yet even where there is the struggles of the mind, there can be the thought of the Lord, and praise can be offered. But then consider, as we think of reflection this morning, thirdly, struggles of old age. Struggles in following the Lord because of the enemy. Struggles of the mind, but then thirdly, struggles of old age. Come with me to verse 9. cast me not off in the time of old age, forsake me not when my strength faileth. Now just notice how the psalm progresses. Verse five, here's the psalmist looking back. For thou art my hope, O Lord God, thou art my trust from my youth. I trusted thee when I was young, and thou dost come to my aid and help and strengthen me. Lord, I'm old now, I need more strength. Fresh mercy, Lord, that mine cast me not off all in the time of old age. Forsake me not when my strength faileth. The Lord will never forsake His people. But here's a plea. I need Thee again, Lord. I needed Thee when I was young. I needed Thee when I was in middle age. I need Thee now when I am old. He knew the struggles, you see. He needed the Lord's help. We've known grace when we are young. We need more grace. I remember a few years ago, Michael Harley, Pastor Michael Harley, he was one of my lecturers a number of years ago in London. I sat next to him at TBS, Pastor Huckley one side and Pastor Michael Harley the other side. And one day I was at TBS and Pastor Michael Harley just turned to me and said this, Aaron, I want to assure you of something. That is, if I get to old age, there'll be more grace for you when you're old. Why did he say that to me? Well, to encourage me, but also to show to me that the Lord was helping him. There'll be more grace, and we need it, don't we? Because there are the struggles of old age. For some, it's eyesight, isn't it? We believe, like the Apostle Paul, for some it's problems with healing. That's a common problem, isn't it? My grandfather used to get gout often, and it afflicted him. Some can be in much pain. For some, the mind fails. Some illness. And there's the struggles. And there's the trial and the suffering. But also, Old age brings affliction. We needed the Lord's strength and grace when we were young, we need it now. You see how the sonnet is reasoning, cast me not off in the time of old age, forsake me not when my strength faileth. More grace, Lord. That's Him we'll be to, Ecclesiastes 12, verse 3. We have here a description of advancing years, in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the bravest seek because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened. It's a description of the frailty of old age. We see in the context there the importance of remembering the Creator when one is young, We read there of the keepers. We think of the arms and the hands. You children, you think of the hands and the arms. They move so you can feed yourself, but also to protect. If you fall over often, you put the hand out, don't you? If somebody comes to punch you, you defend yourself. The keepers then, the arms and the hands, the strong men. Of course, that's a reference to Ecclesiastes 12, verse 3, the strongman with the legs, isn't it? And the feet were supported. We can go forward. Then we need the grinders. Well, that's simple to understand, isn't it? They get few. We lose our teeth, some of us. Here's the teeth. Not easy to eat then, is it? And then finally, in verse 3, those that look out of the windows be darkened. we can consider deteriorating eyesight. Think of the eyes there. It's not easy. There was a certain gentleman called Mr. Darnton. He used to like to help people. He was a well-known man in Tottenham. Yet for many weeks and months, he was confined to his bed. He wanted to be there, but he couldn't. He was confined to his bed. Affliction can come in the form of difficulties in old age. So we then think of struggling. The psalmist was struggling because of his enemies. He was struggling in his mind, secondly, but also he was struggling because of old age. And we will face such struggles if the Lord spares us through our old age. There's many afflictions. Many are the afflictions of the righteous. Listen to the Puritans on the side of the road. Many are the afflictions of the righteous. Be our troubles many in number, strange in nature, heavy in measure. Yet God's mercies are more numerous, his wisdom more wondrous, his power more miraculous. He will deliver us out of them. We do struggle in affliction in the ways we have considered this morning and in other ways, but deliverance will come. You will not always be surrounded by your enemies, you will not always know struggles of the mind, and you will not always know the struggles of old age. Dear, there will come deliverance. First of all, their affliction, but secondly, God. Verse 8, let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day. In his struggles The thought of God came to his mind. But just notice verse seven again. I am as a wanderer unto many. He's stroking people and mocking him, looking on him. He was a spectacle to the world. But thou, he looks up, the thought of God. But thou art my strong refuge. Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honor all the day. The thought of God. And sometimes when one considers God, they begin to reason, what's happened in my life? Why has this come to pass? Remember Naomi, when she returned home, she considered this. Ruth 1, verse 19, so they too went on till they came to Bethlehem. And it came to pass when they would come to Bethlehem that all the city was moved about them and said, is this Naomi? And she said unto them, Call me not Naomi, but call me Mara. For the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord hath brought me home again empty. Why then call ye me Naomi? Seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me. And sometimes one reasons like that. The afflicting hand. We need to be careful in that subject. But we do recognize what Naomi was saying. And sometimes when we consider God, we can be let go in our mind. But here the psalmist in affliction, he's led to consider praising God when he considers him. I am as a wonder unto many, but thou art my strong refuge. Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day. I'm struggling because of the enemy, but I have a refuge. I'm struggling because of low thoughts, but I have a refuge. I'm struggling because of old age, but I have a refuge. And though I continue to struggle, you see that in Psalm 13, I will praise thee. Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day. He looks back, he looks around, but then he looks up. And if you look up, it's a blessing, isn't it? To look up in affliction. Maybe a storm all around you, but you look up and you consider On a certain occasion the psalmist was troubled in looking up. Psalm 77 verse 3, I remember God and was troubled. I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah. Something he'd done. And he was troubled. But here the psalmist looks up and he's comforted. The Lord is a refuge. And in view of God and that he is a refuge and further what the Lord has done for him, he will offer praise. There are occasions when we do look up and are comforted in affliction. And we shouldn't be surprised. Why? Because God is the God of all comfort. 2 Corinthians 1 verse 3, Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, who comforted us in all our tribulation. Many are our afflictions, and we considered some this morning. But there's comfort to be had in all of those afflictions from the good hand of God, for He is the God of all comfort. And so we shouldn't be surprised when we're found looking out with no comfort when we turn to the world. Then in Psalm 77 verse 9 we read, have God forgotten to be gracious? having in anger shut up his tender mercies, see that? And I said, this is my infirmity, but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High. I will remember the works of the Lord surely. I will remember thy works of old. I will meditate also of all thy work and talk of thy doings. You see, he's reasoning, but then he remembers. He looks on God and remembers grace, mercy, and love, and what the Lord has done for him. He's been a father to him, and he's cared for him, and helped him. He remembers, and is good in affliction, as best as we can, even though we may be struggling, to remember God, and his grace, and his love, and his mercy, and what he has done. And do you know we see that here in this psalm? The psalmist looks up and remembers God and considers his gracious and merciful dealings with him in times past. Notice verse 5. For thou art my hope, O Lord God. Thou art my trust for my youth. By thee have I been holding up from the womb. Thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels. My praise shall be continually of thee. He's looking back to past experiences in which the Lord has come to his aid and been so mindful and compassionate towards him. Spurgeon writes here of a testimony of experience. And we all have a testimony of experience. Look back how the Lord helped you in certain times of affliction, when you were struggling because people were being unkind to you, when you were struggling, when you had low thoughts, anxious thoughts, Depressed maybe, cast down, how the Lord helped you. When you were struggling because of the flesh and some difficulty, how the Lord helped you. Look back and remember. And this is how the Psalmist, he looks back, even in verse 6, to very early times. By thee have I been holden up from the womb. Now Artida took me out of my mother's arms, my plea shall be continually of, he looks back, and of course he can't remember certain things that were very early days, neither could we. One of my first memories was this, waking up in the pulpit at Tottenham. There was some activity going on in the hall and I'd been put to sleep in a little cot in the pulpit and I woke up. What am I doing here? That was one of my early memories. Well, we can't remember much, but we do remember this. Here's the context. God was so kind to us and helped us in those early years. He preserved us. A testimony of experiences. Maybe times when you were struggling, you were in hospital, cast down maybe, in pain, that your testimony is the Lord preserved you, and you knew a little story. You can look back at the times when you felt so weak, so low, yet you knew a little reviving of the soul. You knew what it was to be strengthened by the Lord. There may be times you look back to a time of want, yet the Lord provided it. One of old wrote, great is thy faithfulness. Morning by morning new mercies I see, All I have needed thy hand hath provided, Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me. And we can all say that. Well, look back. You have a testimony of experiences. But then consider what the Lord is doing for you at this present time. Though you may be struggling, he's supporting you. We're not always aware of it, are we? You think of the little baby or the little child fast asleep in the arms of their parent. Are they aware that they are being supported? We're not always aware, are we? We may be struggling in the mind and we're not aware, but there he is. He's supporting. There is his sufficient grace and this gives us hope for the future. Look back and consider the present as well. Have we no cause for praise? This is what the psalmist is doing. Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day. Will he fail me? Will he fail you? No! We may struggle again and again, but he will not fail us. He will be there for us, just notice the end of verse 7, but thou art my strong refuge. He's there. Oh there is cause to praise Him in affliction. We can again and again raise up Ebenezer. 1 Samuel 7 verse 12, Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shem and called the name of it Ebenezer saying, Hitherto the Lord helped us. Psalm 115 verse 12, the Lord have been mindful of us. He's mindful. He will bless us. Oh dear brethren, consider Him. Consider God and His dealings with you in the past and at the present time. Just consider what He's doing for you. The thought of God then and what He has done can move the heart. And having the heart moved, in turn it can move our lips. Here's the psalmist, his heart is moved, he considers God and what he has done, and he says this, let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day. And that leads us to our last and final point, and we will be brief, praise. We're considering this morning, praising God in affliction. Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day. desire is lit of the psalmist, let my mouth be filled with thy praise, not bitterness or murmuring, but praise. We may have our questions, you go to Psalm 13 verse 1, but let not our mouth be filled with bitterness or murmuring, but let it be filled with praise. You see, trials can be sanctified for our good. And though we may be struggling, we can be found praising the Lord. We may be cast down in affliction, but there can come a little reviving of the soul. And even though there may be still a measure of sorrow, the soul can begin to sing. And that is illustrated in Psalm 13. Turn with me to Psalm 13. How long will thou forget me? Oh Lord, forever? Here's the struggles of his mind. Where's the Lord? He was cast down. How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart? Occasionally? No? Daily? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and hear me, O Lord my God. Lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death. Lest my nine enemies say I have prevailed against them, And those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved, That I have trusted in thy mercy. My heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me. There was sorrow, sorrow in his heart. Yet the Lord came. and revived a little and he was found singing. His lips moved when his heart was engaged. The Spirit had impressed upon him what the Lord had done and was doing and moved his heart and moved his lips. That's what the Spirit can do. Yes, you may still be in a valley of sorrow, but the Holy Spirit can come and move your heart and you can be found praising Maybe in a time of fear, and your faithful men have put you in fear. Well, there's fears of the future. The disciples, they were faithful, anxious, concerned. What was going to happen? They were met the fear of the Jews. There's friends have departed. They were fearful. Yet even in that time of great fear, the Spirit can come and move your heart just to offer utter praise. Psalm 56 verse 3, what time I am afraid, I will trust in thee, in God, I will praise his word. What time I am afraid, says the psalmist. He knew fear, yet he trusted the Lord, and he offered praise. One can be fearful, perplexed, anxious, yet the Spirit can come. One can know still a measure of great weakness, yet the mouth opens and words of praise come forth. Over these last few months I've tried to think often of those words in 2 Corinthians 9 verse 15, thanks be unto God for this unspeakable gift. Sometimes I've been loathed, concerned, but I thought of those words The unspeakable gift, and you know when we begin to think of those words, it can lift the heart a little further, can't it? What can we say in view of Jesus? How kind He is. He never forsakes. There was a friend that was to get closer than the brother. How compassionate He is. Full of compassion, as we will consider tonight. The unspeakable gift, and then that He came. He came into this world for me. He went all the way to the cross for me. In my sorrows, the thought of him can bring a little reviving, and I'm found praising him. In affliction, the heart may be so low, and there's sorrow, yet there can still come forth words of praise. Remember Paul and Silas again were told in verse 23 of Acts 16, and when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely. Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. Consider what happened, and the place they were now in, and the pain they were suffering at midnight. Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God, and the prisoners heard them. I'm not suggesting that at midnight you should do likewise every day. we consider it to your family. But you see they're poor and silent, they're in the dark, they're cold, they're in pain, but the Lord has warmed their soul and they've been able to utter praise to the Lord. Sorrow in my heart daily, says the psalmist, yet at the end of the psalm he's singing praise. And if we go to that psalm, we're led to consider most of all the Lord Jesus Christ, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grieving. And in light of that psalm, and you don't really grasp it, do we, the Lord Jesus Christ knew sorrow in his heart for over 33 years in his humiliation. He knew sorrow, yet he was found utterly precious. It's been attested in the Lord Jesus Christ in Psalm 116. I love the Lord because He heard my voice and my supplication. Because He had inclined His ear unto me, therefore will I call upon Him as long as I live. The sorrows of death encompass me and the pains of hell get hold upon me. I am troubled and sorrowed. There's our Lord singing these words in the upper room before He would go to the Garden of Gethsemane along with His disciples. I love the Lord But what did he also sing? I found trouble and sorrow. He found it. You don't need to go far in this life before you find it. I found trouble and sorrow. But then verse four. Then called I upon the name of the Lord, O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. The Lord had found trouble and sorrow in his heart. Yet there was a place to utter Praising God in affliction. You may find trouble and sorrow, yet the Lord is able to come and help you and cause you, though you may still be so struggling, just to utter a few words of praise, just a little warming of the heart. In the wintertime when it's cold, little animals often go underground. And there in the ground there's a little warmth. In the winter reflection that's come upon your soul, you can still know a little warmth within. For the Holy Spirit has access to your heart. You may be struggling. The Lord is able. May you know a little warming of the sun. You may be struggling because of those that oppose Christ. You may struggle because of struggles of the mind, struggles of old age. May you know a little warming of the sun. That you can echo these words that the sun has let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day. just notice him closing those words with my honor oh good praising the lord and he's contemplating the lord as we think of the word honor and also he's going to bestow the honor to the lord think of the word honor literally from the hebrew will be translated as beauty glory majesty so here's the psalmist yes he's struggling but there in the valley he thinks of the majesty of god And how majestic is his grace, love and mercy. He thinks of the beauty of the Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ. He's altogether lovely. And what a blessing it is in the valley when the Lord works and you come to consider one who is altogether lovely. Our trial has been sanctified for your good. and you're now giving him the honour and the praise. He is reverenced and he is esteemed as we see in Revelation 5, verse 12, saying with a loud voice, worthy is the land that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing. There is the people and we join in in giving praise to the Lord. Yes, I've been afflicted, I'm struggling, but there he is. He's altogether lovely, my friend, my beloved, and I will give him praise. You know, sometimes our trials bring us to our knees. And we're on the ground with a soul that is mounted for heaviness. But then we look up and we catch a sight through faith, through the way. in to say thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. Amen, amen. Let us pray. O gracious God, we thank thee that thou art touched for the feeding of our infirmities, blessed Savior. Lord, we face struggles in this life. We've read of it this morning, we've learnt of it, but we thank thee that the Spirit who directs us has access to our hearts. And may we know that little reviving for any who is struggling here this morning. Maybe for a reason we've not considered this morning. Oh, may the spirit come. Be frankly, for who thou art and what thou hast done. Lord, many of us here have a testimony of experiences. And we would look back even now in this prayer and then we would praise thee. Lord, let my mouth be filled with Thy praise. Forgive us any bitter faults, any murmuring faults. Let our mouths be filled with Thy praise. And in affliction, Lord, bring us to Calvary, that we would thank Thee for our Saviour. Hear us, O Lord, for Christ's sake. Amen. Psalm 57 verses 1 and 2 and then verses 7 to 11. The tune is martyrdom. Psalm 57 verses 1 and 2 and then verses 7 to 11. Be merciful to me, O God, thy mercy unto me. Do thou extend because my soul doth put her trust in thee. Psalm 57 verses 1 and 2 and then verses 7 to 11. Be merciful to me, O God. My mercy out to Thee. Through the worst pain, recourse my soul. God put the trust in thee. Yea, in the shadow of thy wings, my refuge I will place. Until we set calamities to holy overpowering I, I will, cause to ascend, until the Lord knows I. To our good luck, all things forlee, The home of the brave and free, My heart is filled, my heart is filled, O God, Thou save and grace, my glory way. Wait, don't rehab Myself, motherly race How great Thee now, the King, O Lord! My nature's sake will I For great to have thy mercy is, Thine truth is to the sky. O Lord, exalted be Thy name above the heav'ns to descend, To Thou thy glory far advance Above both sea and land. The Lord bless thee and keep thee. The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee. The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. Amen.