The Psalms have ever been the songs upon the lips of martyrs who loved not their lives even unto death. In fact, archaeological searches for the books of Christians during the great times of persecution are quite instructive. For example, during the first three centuries of intense persecution against the Church, from about 30 A.D. to 320 A.D., no one has found any uninspired hymns used in the worship of God. But the Christian books that have time and time again turned up from those days of persecution are the holy scriptures, and especially copies of the inspired Psalter. Likewise, the French Huguenots, the spiritual heirs of Calvin, sang the Psalms with such zeal as they were led to their executions that their tongues were literally cut out so as to silence them. And still they sang with mouths filled with blood, Torn pages of those very Psalters that they had memorized were then forced into their mouths with a taunt, eat your fill. The singing of the Psalms, dear ones, became so identified with Huguenot life that by 1661 the singing of Psalms anywhere in French territory became a crime against the state. Dear ones, last Lord's Day, we began a series on the vital subject of song in the worship of God. And the question may be asked, why spend several sermons addressing the subject of song in worship? Let me give you very briefly, very quickly, two answers to that question. First of all, Song is one element of our worship to God. It is our New Covenant sacrifice of praise that we bring unto God. And as we learned last Lord's Day, song in worship is a duty. It's not an option. We are required to sing God's praises unto Him. Hence our songs. our songs always must be lit with the fire that proceeds from the altar that God himself has authorized or we, like Nadab and Abihu, will find ourselves offering profane fire to God through our songs, notwithstanding all our good intentions to love and praise our glorious God. The second reason Why I think it's important that we spend several sermons addressing the subject of song in worship is this, because song is also for our edification and instruction. The singing of inspired songs in worship, dear ones, assures us that the corrupt teachings of men cannot pollute our soul through song. It was Arius, perhaps the epitome of heresy in early church history. Though a very sincere, apparently a very moral man, Arius, who once stated concerning the use of his own uninspired hymns in the churches of his day, said, let me make a people's songs and I care not who makes their laws. Let me make a people's songs and I care not who makes their laws. How true it is that the way to the very heart and soul of a people is through their songs and their music. There are no uninspired songs, dear ones, that can compare to the indoctrinal fidelity in heartfelt devotion and in Christ exalting praise like those that we find in the inspired Psalter. Let me briefly give to you just an outline of where I'm going today. Again, I have two points I would have you consider with me today. I'd like to first of all make some concluding remarks from our Sermon last Lord's Day some concluding remarks as to the nature of song in worship And then second point I'd like to cover today is just a very brief survey of the Old Testament not as to the nature of song but this Lord's Day we're going to look at the content of song in the Old Testament and So let's consider that first point, just some concluding remarks from last Lord's Day sermon. Last Lord's Day, dear ones, we concluded from the testimony of Scripture itself that number one, song in worship is a duty and it's also a great privilege. But it is something that is required by biblical warrant in both the Old Covenant and in the New Covenant. We can't simply choose to omit singing in a worship service. It's something that we are commanded to do. Secondly, last Lord's Day, we noted that the nature of the songs that are to be sung in worship are that they must be inspired songs. Not the content specifically, that's not what we were addressing last Lord's Day, but the nature. Should we sing inspired songs or uninspired songs? What is the nature of the songs that are to be sung? All the examples of song used in worship that can be cited from the Word of God itself in the Old Testament and in the New Testament were inspired songs, without exception. Now, you might say that's quite a statement for me to make, because I endorse the singing of only inspired songs. But let me simply say that that is not simply my conclusion. That is the conclusion of the chairman of a study committee. which was authorized by the Orthodox Presbyterian Church to report to the General Assembly concerning the use of song in the public worship of God, and which committee did so in 1947. And from this study committee came two reports. A majority report, first of all, supporting the use of uninspired songs in worship, and then a minority report, defending the use of only inspired songs in the worship of God. Now both of these reports, interestingly enough, were submitted to the Presbyteries and Sessions, quote, for earnest study. But anyway, back to the chairman of the committee. The chairman of that committee, who was a signator of the majority report, that is, he was a defender of the use of uninspired songs in worship, had this to say the following year, in March 1948, in the Presbyterian Guardian, and I quote, What these brethren would ask is the impossible, that we cite from Scripture the use of an uninspired song. I'll stop there. The chairman states that it would be impossible to find either an uninspired song or the mention of a use of an uninspired song. He goes on to say, it would thus be impossible to prove that uninspired songs are authorized in the scripture." Quite an admission. He says, it would thus be impossible to prove that uninspired songs are authorized in the scripture. And then he finally concludes his remark by saying, and to demand such proof before one can in good conscience sing uninspired songs is to demand the impossible. Let me read that last section again. And to demand such proof before one can in good conscience sing uninspired songs is to demand the impossible. Dear ones, it is impossible. It is impossible to prove that uninspired songs are authorized in scripture. not because God was unable to authorize their use in the word, but because God chose not to authorize their use in the word. Even the chairman himself says in the same article that it was not impossible for God to give biblical warrant for the use of uninspired songs in worship had he chosen to do so. For example, God might have recorded in scripture that followers of Christ on various occasions wrote uninspired songs which were authorized by the apostles to be used in singing in the worship of God, and that God spoke from heaven and said, with such songs in worship I am well pleased. Now, you might say, that's quite a statement for you to make. And I'm not telling God how he should have done it, but I'm simply saying that had God chosen to reveal that uninspired songs were acceptable in worship, he could have done so. But the fact that he did not do so, the fact that even the chairman of this committee says that it's impossible to prove from Scripture, that the Bible warrants the use of uninspired songs is quite an indictment against the uninspired song position. Well, here is, dear ones, the $100,000 question after hearing the quote from the honorable chairman of that committee. How can I, and he used the phrase in good conscience, you remember in his quote, how can I in good conscience sing uninspired songs if biblical authorization for their use in worship is to demand the impossible? How can I have a good conscience before God in offering to him songs If it's to demand the impossible, then God would say it's okay to do so. I agree, we must have a good conscience as we bring our offerings of praise to God. And if we can't bring our offerings to God with a good conscience, having biblical warrant to do so, then we cannot and we must not. bring to him whatever we choose. The uninspired song, or actually let me begin with the inspired song position, dear ones, meets all of the criteria of biblical warrant. It has the express command of God. It has the authorized examples within scripture, the entire Psalter 150 inspired songs and a hymnal, which we find in the scripture. And that position also has, thirdly, good and necessary inference from the Old Testament into the New Testament. Nothing in the New Testament qualifies the Old Testament position of singing only inspired songs in worship. To the contrary, everything in the New Testament only confirms the fact that inspired songs are to be used in the worship of God. However, the uninspired song position has, listen closely, no express command from God, it has no authorized example found in the scripture, And I believe it has no good and necessary inference from the Old Testament into the New upon which to build its case. The Uninspired Song position uses two inferences which I believe are neither good nor necessary inferences. Let me just briefly state those two inferences that are used to support the Uninspired Song position. First of all, this inference new occasions evoke new songs new occasions evoke new songs the inference here states that in new redemptive occasions in biblical history God gives new songs to his people thus it's fitting for God to give new uninspired songs there's the great leap to give new uninspired songs to his people throughout history in response to God's mighty acts. My response is simply this. It is true that God gave new songs to his people in certain new redemptive occasions in biblical history. But those songs were never new uninspired songs. even though God could have led men to write uninspired songs for worship, and could have recorded that he authorized and approved of such uninspired songs. In fact, I would say, to be absolutely consistent with that inference, that new occasions evoke new songs. And if what the Bible says that the new songs that are evoked are inspired songs, what that particular inference argues for is the continuation of new revelation. That all the new songs today must as well be inspired. It doesn't argue for new uninspired songs. What it argues for is new inspired songs to continue. for continuing, ongoing revelation from God. All the attempts to find uninspired songs in the Scripture, and there are those, as we learned last week, who try to find uninspired songs in Scripture, all of the arguments, dear ones, are arguments from silence. I don't know about you, but I don't want to build a case so important about the worship that I offer to God from an argument from silence. The second inference that is used in regard to the uninspired position is the inference from the analogy of song with prayer. The analogy of song with prayer And the inference here states that since prayer and song are similar elements in the worship of God, and since song and prayer have similar characteristics to one another, and since even some of the psalms are called prayers, in one more sense, And since the words of our prayers are not limited to the inspired words of scripture, therefore, neither is it required that our songs be limited to the inspired words of scripture. That's the inference that's drawn. Again, let me simply respond by saying Though song and prayer have similar characteristics to one another, they are yet distinguishable elements of worship that are not to be confused. We ought not to be confused that when someone is praying, that that could be singing, or that when we are singing, we don't need to have a separate part in the worship service called prayer. even though the song which we may be singing was a prayer that was offered. They are not the same. In 2 Chronicles 6.14, you can write these references down, you don't have to look them up. 2 Chronicles 6.14, Solomon prays. In the same service, in 2 Chronicles 7.6, the Levites sing. Clearly distinguishable elements. In 1 Corinthians 14, 15, the Apostle Paul says, I will pray with the spirit and with the understanding, and I will sing with the spirit and with the understanding. Clearly distinguishable elements in worship, not to be confused. And since, dear ones, they are distinguishable elements of worship, we must find biblical warrant for the nature of the words that are used in those elements of worship, as well as the content of the words that are used in those elements of worship. When we think about prayer, for example, in the Lord's Prayer, the Lord Jesus begins by saying, in this manner pray. In this manner, pray. The Lord Jesus is saying, this is the way I would like for you to pattern your prayers. And he gives to us a model prayer. Very clear, I think, that prayer is given as a model there. Our prayers do not have to conform to the exact prayer, the words, the content of the words in which Jesus used. It is a model. that Jesus gave to us. In this manner, pray. Furthermore, in 1 Timothy 2.1, Paul says we're to pray for all men. That certainly implies that we're not going to simply use the words of Scripture, because there's many men or women or children for whom we should be praying that are not mentioned in the Scriptures. The very strong implication is that we are not confined to the words of Scripture when we offer our prayers. But, where in all of the Scripture do we find something similar to what Jesus said, in this manner, sing? Here's a pattern for singing, a psalm. I want you to pattern your psalms after my psalms, God speaking to us. There is no such language. It simply is the command to sing songs. So dear ones as I just before I move on to the second point major point today Let me simply say it's evident therefore that there is no express command no authorized example And no good and necessary inference from the Old Testament into the New Testament for the use of uninspired songs and worship Whereas there is express command and For the use of inspired song, there's authorized examples, many authorized examples, and there is good and necessary inference for inspired song from the Old Testament into the New Testament. If all those using uninspired songs in worship were to forsake them today, And they were not necessarily to come to the exclusive psalmody position, but were to simply sing inspired songs. My heart would rejoice in that. That they were singing the words of scripture. That they were not any longer singing simply the uninspired words of men. We would find ourselves drawn much closer in worship practices, if people took the singing of God's praise that seriously, that they would confine their words to singing the inspired songs in scripture, albeit those that might even be found outside of the psalter, how close we would be in that regard. And my heart would indeed rejoice with brethren willing to even take that step. And so secondly, the second major point. Now we must move, dear ones, to the next question. What is the content of our inspired songs and worship to be? Not only what is the nature, but what is the content? We've established that our songs and worship must be the inspired words of scripture, but is there any divine limitation on which inspired words must be used in worship? Yes, I believe God has limited our songs and worship to those of the inspired hymnal, the Psalms. And for the next few minutes, dear ones, follow me as we take a brief overview of the Old Testament through redemptive history in regard to the use of inspired song in worship. And I pray this will be of great encouragement to your souls. The first period as we look at Old Testament redemptive history, the first period is to look at the pre-Mosaic period. Pre-Mosaic period. During this period there are no recorded songs nor mention of songs sung by God's people in his worship. Whether we look at Adam, Cain and Abel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac or Jacob. No mention of recorded songs or songs sung by God's people in his worship. Now assuming Job was pre-Mosaic, assuming he lived prior to Moses, which I believe all scholars, conservative scholars, endorse. Job does mention in Job 38.7 that when the foundation of the earth was laid, quote, the morning stars sang together. Apparently the choirs of heaven lifted their voices upon their creation and the creation of all the universe. They lifted their voices in song and praise to their Creator. And again, in Job 35.10, Elihu, one of Job's comforters, one of his friends, who intended to comfort, but didn't do an excellent job of doing so, but Elihu remarks, but no one says, where is God, my maker, who gives songs in the night? No one says, where is God, my maker, who gives songs in the night? Here it is stated that God gives songs, but it's not stated for what occasions, what circumstances, to whom does he give these songs. We simply have no information. It's an interesting reference indeed. that we've just read from Job 35.10, but we must be absolutely careful not to build a case for song in worship from obscure accounts in scripture. We must always allow that which is clear to interpret that which is obscure. There's just simply not enough information to draw from this. And that is, if we do draw something and try and build a case from a passage such as this, that's in effect to argue again from silence. Therefore, as we leave this period, this pre-Mosaic period, I submit there are no recorded songs nor mention of songs sung by God's people in His worship. Nothing mentioned. in regard to worship of God. So let's pass on to the second period, and that's the period from Moses to Samuel. The period from Moses to Samuel. Now, during this period, many changes are introduced into worship by God by His express authorization under Moses. For example, the tabernacle, the priesthood, The various types of sacrifices, the feast days, all are introduced by God's express command. And although we find a few occasions during this period in which God's people sing inspired songs in celebration of God's mercy and justice, for example, in Exodus 15.1, in Deuteronomy 31.30, And in Judges 5-1, those three references, we can certainly say that they were inspired songs. They were sung by God's people in celebration of God's mercy and His justice. It's important to note, however, that the songs that are sung there are not led by the priests, nor by the Levites, Those songs are led by the civil magistrates of that time, Moses and Deborah. They're not sung in the tabernacle. They're not sung in the context of corporate worship. They appear to be more civil celebrations like our country should be doing civil celebrations in honor and bringing glory to God. Now it's important to note as we consider this period that God's ministers The priests and the Levites were not given any instructions as to singing in worship before the Lord. That is completely omitted from one of their services. Nothing is said with regard to their singing in worship to the Lord. It was not a part of the service that God had given to them up to that particular point. Though God had given to them very specific instructions, you'll remember, with regard to all the details of worship, as it pertains to the sacrifices, as it pertains to the showbread, as it pertains to the lighting of the candles, everything, detailed information, nothing is said about singing. You see, and this is, I believe, a very critical point, It is God who must authorize what is required in worship. And it is God who does so at His own appointed time. And it was not the appointed time for song to be introduced into the worship of God's people at that particular point in history. Song in worship must await the sweet psalmist of Israel, who declared in 2 Samuel 23, verses 1-2, Thus says David, the son of Jesse, thus says the man raised upon high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel. The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and his word was on my tongue." Thus bringing the introduction of song into the worship of God awaited the sweet psalmist of Israel, David. And so we pass to the third and final period I want to consider. And that is the period from David to Christ. The period from David to Christ If you've been listening carefully, you'll note that just as changes were introduced into worship under Moses by God's express command, so we again see certain changes that God himself instituted in his worship under David. Very specific changes that he himself instituted under David. Turn with me to 1 Chronicles chapter 28. 1 Chronicles chapter 28, verses 11-13, and then verse 19. Beginning with verse 11. Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the vestibule, its houses, its treasuries, its upper chambers, its inner chambers, and the place of the mercy seat. Notice verse 12, "...and the plans for all that he had by the Spirit, of the courts of the house of the Lord, of all the chambers all around, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of the treasuries for the dedicated things." Verse 13, this is particularly germane to what we're talking about now. Verse 13 says, "...also for the division of the priests and the Levites, for all the work of the service of the house of the Lord, and for all the articles of service in the house of the Lord." In other words, what God is saying through David is that God gave to David to pass on to Solomon Everything that pertained to the ministry of the priests and the Levites in the house of God by the Spirit, we saw in verse 12, and that's made very evident as we read verse 19. All this, said David, the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me all the works of these plans. The Lord made me to understand. It was given by inspiration from God the ordering of the Levites, the ordering of their service unto God. It was not left up to simply David's opinion as to what was right or beneficial to the people. And one of those changes that was introduced, one of those new elements of worship that was brought into the worship service under David was the element of song. It was not present in the worship under Moses, but it was introduced with David. At the time when the Ark of the Covenant was brought into its permanent location in Jerusalem, David instituted the element of song into worship. 1 Chronicles chapter 15, this is the first time in which we find the element of song introduced in the worship of God as authorized by God through David. 1 Chronicles 15, 16 says this, Then David spoke to the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers, accompanied by instruments of music, stringed instruments, harps and cymbals, by raising the voice with resounding joy. And the inspired song that was sung on that particular occasion was the first psalm delivered by David unto the Levites to sing. Turn to the very next chapter, 1 Chronicles 16, verse 7. This is the psalm that was sung. And on that day, David first delivered this psalm into the hand of Asaph and his brethren to thank the Lord. And this is the psalm that is given. This particular composition is taken from, in its entirety, it is taken from Psalm 96, from Psalm 105, and Psalm 106. As we have noted before, Previously, in another sermon, Asaph, Haman, and Jedathon were placed in charge of the ministry of song among the Levites, and these men were given the gift of prophecy specifically for the purpose of writing inspired songs, according to 1 Chronicles 25, verses 1-5. They were given the gift of prophecy to develop a hymnal for the church. for the worship of God, to develop a hymnal known in other parts of Scripture as the Songs of Zion, a collection of hymns. And so this authorization under David, given to David by God, to sing only the inspired songs of David, and those of the inspired Levites, who collated a hymnal of divine praise under God's work of inspiration, which we know as the Psalms, was not only practiced by David, but it continued to be the unalterable pattern for all subsequent worship services that we find in the Old Testament. In Solomon, and we're just going to take a very brief survey again, as we did last week, but again, let's just review. Solomon, the worship service that he is spoken of performing and being involved with in 2nd Chronicles 7, 6. 2nd Chronicles 7, 6. When the temple was dedicated, it was dedicated with a worship service And we find in 2nd Chronicles 7.6 the pattern of the song. And the priests attended to their services, the Levites also, with instruments of the music of the Lord, which King David had made to praise the Lord, saying, For his mercy endures forever, whenever David offered praise by their ministry. The priests sounded trumpets opposite them while all Israel stood." That was the pattern under Solomon. It continued what David instituted. Now, we're going to look at subsequent kings. And in each one of these examples, I want you to notice there's something happening that's very significant. Prior to this king, whichever king it might be, there has been a falling away from God. And this particular king that's cited in scripture is bringing revival to the people of God. He is reviving the true worship of God because there had been idols and false worship set up. And each one of these kings destroyed the false worship and they instituted the true worship of God in each case. But notice the pattern. If ever you wanted to look at a time in history when the people of Israel were doing it right, it would be those times when they were restoring, reviving, reforming, and instituting again the true worship of God. And so let's look at these various examples. Under King Joash, in 2 Chronicles 23, Second Chronicles 23, Joash was very young when he was crowned king and so the high priest Jehoiada assisted him in his rule and instituted the true worship of God And we find in 2nd Chronicles 23.16 these words, Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself, the people, and the king, that they should be the Lord's people. And all the people went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They broke in pieces its altars and images and killed Matan, the priest of Baal, before the altars. Also Jehoiada appointed the oversight of the house of the Lord to the hand of the priests, the Levites, whom David had assigned in the house of the Lord, to offer the burnt offerings of the Lord, as it is written in the Law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, as it was established by David. as it was established by David according to the pattern David brought about. Dr. James Begg has noted the following, when nations are to perish in their sins, it is in the church the leprosy begins. When nations are to perish in their sins, as in the church, the leprosy begins. And if you're going to make the nation right, it begins in the church as well, by instituting the true worship of God. And these kings had a fervor, a holy fervor, to not only see political blessing, but to see it realized through spiritual blessing in their worship of God. The second, the next king, actually it's the third example, Solomon, then Joash, now Hezekiah. Hezekiah, notice what he does in reforming true worship to God. 2 Chronicles 29, we read this in our scripture reading, verse 30. 2 Chronicles 29.30, what pattern did he follow in the use of song? Moreover, King Hezekiah and the leaders commanded the Levites to sing praise to the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. So they sang praises with gladness and they bowed their heads and worshiped." The fourth example is Josiah. Josiah in 2 Chronicles 35. Verse 15, again, Josiah, what does he do when he seeks to renew true worship to God? 35, 15, as it pertains to the singing. And the singers, the sons of Asaph, were in their places according to the command of David, Asaph, Haman, and Jeduthun, the king's seer. The singers were in their places They were prepared to sing, they did sing, according to the command of David, Asaph, Haman, and Jeduthun, the king's seers or prophets, who gave inspired song. Zerubbabel, the fifth example. Zerubbabel, after returning from captivity, the foundation of the temple was laid, and a glorious worship service ensues. and we find in Ezra 3.10 the following. When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lord according to the ordinance of David, king of Israel. And they sang responsibly, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever toward Israel. And then, sixthly, the revival. There was an elapse of commitment to God. And Nehemiah is called to bring and to restore again true worship to God. Nehemiah chapter 12. verse 24, Nehemiah 12, 24. And we find there these words, and the heads of the Levites were Hashebiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua, the son of Cadmiel, with their brothers across from them. to praise and give thanks, group alternating with group, according to the command of David, the man of God." According to the commandment of David, the man of God. Dear ones, this is no accident that in all of the revivals, you find them going back to sing the psalms of David and Asaph and Haman and Jetham. those inspired Psalms that God has included even in our Psalter. The last example is that of the Lord Jesus himself. Jesus Christ. Turn with me to Matthew 26.30. Matthew 26.30. We complete the circle. This is the Last Supper. The Lord has just instituted the Lord's Supper and has just given the cup of the New Covenant to his disciples. And verse 30 says, after having drank this cup of the New Covenant with his disciples, it says in verse 30, and when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. As I mentioned earlier, nearly all conservative scholars recognize that the hymn that was sung at this particular point in time was the Phalel, Psalm 113 through Psalm 118. Again, we find that from David to Christ. The songs that are mentioned, without exception, without exception, they are the songs that we find in our Psalter. All of these passages, dear ones, provide an unbreakable chain as to the songs that were used in the worship of God After David instituted song, now let me just kind of bring a conclusion to it all. After David instituted song into worship, is there ever any indication that God's people sang the songs in Exodus 15? Or Deuteronomy 32? Or Judges 5? There's no mention at all. But the express command that we find is they followed the pattern of David, and of Asaph, and Heman, and Jedathan, and Nathan, and Gad, who were all prophets and seers in prophesying Psalms. God has graciously, dear ones, expanded his divinely inspired hymn book to include not only Psalms from David, Asaph, Haman, and Jonathan, but also Psalms by Solomon, a Psalm by Moses, the sons of Korah, and Ethan. Now, next time that we consider the issue of this particular A subject that we're talking about, songs and worship, we want to look at Isaiah 38 and Habakkuk 3. These are two passages that are frequently used to demonstrate that exclusive use of the songs was not the practice by God's people in worship. And I think they're very important passages that we must wrestle with and consider. But we won't take the time today to do so. Let me simply say this. As we conclude, both Moses and David were prophets in God's economy who introduced, by God's express command, new elements and new circumstances into worship. But Moses and David, in that prophetic capacity, only pointed to Christ, the prophet, priest, and king over his church, who instituted a new covenant You see, Christ, dear ones, abrogated many aspects of the old covenant worship through his death and his resurrection. He abrogated those shadows which pointed forward to his finished work for his people. But one aspect of worship which he did not abrogate was the singing of the inspired songs in worship. For after the Lord's Supper, as we've already noted, after the Lord's Supper was instituted and the disciples drank of the cup of the new covenant, they sang a hymn, Psalm 113 through Psalm 118. Turn with me just very briefly to Psalm 118, beginning with verse 22. Do you see how the Lord's heart flowed forth what was upon his heart as he was about to go to the cross for his people, as he was about to offer his life for his people, these were the final words upon his tongue in the context of that worship service. Verse 22, the stone which the builders rejected, that speaks of his death, has become the chief cornerstone." It speaks of his resurrection. This was the Lord's doing. It is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day, that is the day of his resurrection, the day in which he becomes the chief cornerstone. This is the day which the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Verse 25, "'Save now, I pray, O Lord, O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." You remember Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem. These were the words upon the people's lips, acknowledging that Christ is the King. We have blessed you from the house of the Lord. Verse 27, God is the Lord and he has given us light. This Reformation audio track is a production of Stillwaters Revival Books. You are welcome to make copies and give them to those in need. SWRB makes thousands of classic Reformation resources available, free and for sale, in audio, video, and printed formats. It is likely that the sermon or book that you just listened to is also available on cassette or video, or as a printed book or booklet. Our many free resources, as well as our complete mail-order catalog, containing thousands of classic and contemporary Puritan and Reform books, tapes, and videos, at great discounts, is on the web at www.swrb.com We can also be reached by email at SWRB at SWRB.com, by phone at 780-450-3730, by fax at 780-468-1096, or by mail at 4710-37A Avenue, Edmonton, that's E-D-M-O-N-T-O-N, Alberta, abbreviated capital A, capital B, Canada, T6L3T5. You may also request a free printed catalog. And remember that John Calvin, in defending the Reformation's regulative principle of worship, or what is sometimes called the scriptural law of worship, commenting on the words of God, which I commanded them not, neither came into my heart. From his commentary on Jeremiah 731, writes, God here cuts off from men every occasion for making evasions, since He condemns by this one phrase, I have not commanded them, whatever the Jews devised. There is then no other argument needed to condemn superstitions than that they are not commanded by God. For when men allow themselves to worship God according to their own fancies, and attend not to His commands, they pervert true religion. And if this principle was adopted by the Papists, all those fictitious modes of worship in which they absurdly exercise themselves would fall to the ground. It is indeed a horrible thing for the Papists to seek to discharge their duties towards God by performing their own superstitions. There is an immense number of them, as it is well known, and as it manifestly appears. Were they to admit this principle, that we cannot rightly worship God except by obeying His word, they would be delivered from their deep abyss of error. The prophet's words, then, are very important, when he says that God had commanded no such thing, and that it never came to his mind, as though he had said that men assume too much wisdom when they devise what he never required, nay, what he never knew.