I would invite you to turn in your Bibles to Psalm chapter 9. We're going to be looking at the subject of power in learning the secret of praise and prayer. There's much in this world that threatens to discourage us and to disrupt our praise and prayer life. But we can hope on this one fact that the Scriptures assure us that although the saints may be wronged and sinners seem to triumph now, there's coming a day when justice will prevail. All wrongs will have to be made right. The books will be balanced. and God will have the last say. But one thing is for sure, we are to pray and we are to praise the name of our Lord, no matter what the circumstances are. Some of you men have had medical procedures today. I, by all intents, should have been among your ranks, but I got postponed for some reason. But as far as I know, most of you men are happy with the results of your medical exams. But what if it had been the other way? Would we be able to say, blessed be the name of the Lord? Lewis Albert Banks tells the story of an elderly man who was a fine singer. used to love to sing in church. And he learned that he had cancer of the tongue and that surgery was required. While he was in the hospital, after everything was ready for the operation, the man said to the doctor, Are you sure I'll never sing again? Are you sure I'll never sing again? Well, the surgeon found it very difficult, but he simply shook his head No. The patient then asked if he could sit up for a moment just prior to being given the pre-op. And he said, I've had many good times singing praises to God. And now, doctor, you tell me that I'm never going to be able to sing again. I have one song that will be my last. And it's going to be a song of gratitude and praise to God. And right there in the pre-op room, He began to softly sing the words of Isaac Watts' hymn, I'll praise my Maker while I've breath, and when my voice is lost in death, praise shall employ thy nobler power. My days of praise shall ne'er be past, while life and thought and being last, or immortality endures. What an example of prayer and praise. Well, we're going to be looking at Psalm chapter 9, and we're going to be looking at praise to the person of God. That's where our praise needs to begin. That's found in verses 1 and 2. Praise to the person of God. As we go to prayer today and we praise the name of our Lord, We must keep in mind that we're praying to a person, someone who hears our prayers, who is alive and inclines his ears unto us. Then in verses 3 through 5, we're going to be looking at power in the presence of God. Then in verses 7 and 8, we're going to look at preparation. for the punishment of God, because God is prepared and punishment will come upon those who would afflict the godly. Then finally we're going to look at the prevailing over the provokers of God. But let's take a look at praise to the person of God. We want to take a good portion of our time to go to prayer this evening, so we're going to look quickly at the psalm that we have before us and look at, first of all, praise to the person of God. I want you to notice that in verses 1 and 2, the phrase, I will, is found four times in verses 1 and 2. I will. Notice he says, I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart. Number two, I will show forth all thy marvelous works. Number three, I will be glad and rejoice in thee. Number four, I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most high. I will implies a determination that rises above feelings. You know, some people actually think it's hypocritical for a Christian to act against his feelings. Oh, a Christian ought never to do anything if they don't feel like doing it. I have a question for you. Some of you men that had an operation performed today, or some medical procedure, did you particularly feel like doing it? You men that went to work this morning, did you feel like going to work? If you had your preference, you might have slept in. Or some of you that were NPO since 12 o'clock last night, your preference was to have a good hot bowl of oatmeal, a couple of eggs and toast and bacon. And that would have fixed you just fine. And don't forget the coffee and the orange juice, right? And that would have fit you just fine. What about when you have a headache, and you have a Sunday school class to teach, and you feel terrible, and you don't feel like teaching, but you do it anyway. Is that being hypocritical? Not at all. It's a determination to look beyond your own circumstances to the needs of others and the pressing need that transcends your circumstances. You know what you need to do. A dad who doesn't feel like going to work gets up because he has little mouths to feed and responsibilities to take care of and he looks beyond his own comfort, you see. Well, hear David. He praises the person of God, and he says, I will rise above my circumstances. How many times do we not read our Bibles in the morning? Because we don't feel like it. Well, I don't want to be a hypocrite, so I'm not going to read the Bible. I'll leave it in the trunk of the car. That way I'll know where it is Saturday night when I've got to find it, you know, to go to church. I'll know where it's at. And is it right to read the Bible, even though you don't feel like it? I've been exhorting my mom. My mom's been having some rough days lately. She doesn't feel like eating. But you know, sometimes we have to exhort one another and encourage one another. Try eating some, even though you don't feel like it, because you need to be able to have nourishment. And it sure does beat those IVs, doesn't it? So it's important, you see, that we rise above our feelings. And you know, gratitude ought to make us singers out of us all. We all ought to be singers. Whether we can sing or not, we ought to sing the praise of gratitude. I like this. In verse 1 it says, I will show forth all thy marvelous works. To whom? To people that need to see what God is doing. And people are watching us. As parents, are we always grumbling and complaining about what's wrong and never what's right? And are we contagious for the Lord or against the things of the Lord? You know, when we show a smile, even though we may not necessarily feel good, I know that there are some in our congregation that, you know, it's hard. I mean, just about 24-7, you're in pain. And yet, the truth of the matter is, some of the sweetest ones we have in our church here are going through struggles that most of us don't even know about, but they've learned, by God's power, to rise above it. And yes, we have our tears and our quiet time with God, but when it comes to ministry, we want to rise above it and say, Lord, I will be used in Your service, and You're going to give me the grace And, you know, you always hear the saying, if you want to get something done, give it to somebody who's busy. Oftentimes, if you want to get something done in the church, give it to someone who is busy and maybe has some trials and testings they're going through, but they're still going to be used of God, no matter what. And I think of individuals in our church that are just exactly in that mode. Our interim church council was blessed with a letter from a gal who wants to get a summer ministry going with the help of other ladies, and in the midst of difficulty and adversity, what is she saying? I will. That's not self-will. But it's, I will, I can, by God's power. I will praise the Lord. All we need to turn our attitudes around. And there's praise to the person of God. I have an old Shar-Pei dog. I shouldn't say old. He's about four. That's 28 years old by humanoid standards, isn't it? His name is Max, but we sometimes call him Sad-Sack. because he's one of the sharp a wrinkle dogs and he looks like he's you know wearing somebody's big suit and he hasn't quite grown into it we call them sad sack he's always moping around kinda like that old mutt in the beverly hillbillies that always was asleep next to ellie mae clampett you know and now that's max old sad sack you know i know some christians that are like sad sack They ought to call him sad sack. But no, let's be a witness for the Lord. Now let's take a look at verses 3 through 8. We've seen praise to the person of God. And you know, well, I'll wait till everything's going my way. I'll wait till my ship comes in. Then I'll start praising God. You never will. You never will. We need to rise above it. I will. Now, in verses 3 through 8, we see power in the presence of God. And I want you to notice that corresponding with the four I wills of verses 1 and 2, you have four thou hasts that answer to the I wills. And it's based on the Lord's power and His presence and what He can do. Okay, now let's take a look at the power of praising God in verse 3 here. Notice it says, When my enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence. There's power in the presence of God. And the Lord has power in His presence. Think of the presence of the Lord when He comes in judgment at the battle of Armageddon. And every eye shall see Him, and they'll cry for the rocks to fall upon Him. When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, and the soldiers came, and they looked upon Him, they fell back. What a prefigurement of the horror that men will have when they see Him as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. But you know, our enemies someday will be turned back. But notice verse 4 here. In verse 4, we're going to see three things here in this matter of power in the presence of God. And I want you to repeat these principles after me. In verse 4, we're going to see that God is faithful. Let's repeat that. God is faithful. Do you believe that God is faithful? Look at verse 4. It says, For thou hast maintained Thou hast maintained my right and my cause. Thou saddest in the throne, judging right." God is faithful to His own. You know, we're living in a day of unfaithfulness, folks. We're living in a day where marriage covenants don't mean anything. We're looking at a day today where employer-employee obligations mean nothing. Contracts are broken at will. We're looking at individuals that will make covenants and walk away, and they think that Bankruptcy and everything else is the way to go and we can just kind of just walk away from everything. But you know, the Word of God tells us that God is faithful in His obligations and He's faithful to His own. Now notice, in verses 5 and 6, We're going to see not only is God faithful, but in verses 5 and 6, God will fight. Let's say that together. God will fight. Not only is God faithful, God will fight for His own. He's going to protect you. He's going to guide you. He's going to fight for you because you belong to Him. Notice verse 5. David says this, Thou hast rebuked the heathen. Thou hast destroyed the wicked. Thou hast put on their name. put out their name forever and ever. O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end, and thou hast destroyed cities. Their memorial is perished with them." Now, in verses 7 through 8, Looking at power in God's presence, we're going to see the third principle. Not only God is faithful, verse 4, God will fight for His own, verses 5 and 6. But you know, in verses 7 and 8, God is fair. in all that He does. Let's say that together. God is fair. You know, in verses 7 and 8, it says, But the Lord shall endure forever. He hath prepared His throne for judgment, and His judgment is just and fair. judgment he shall judge the world in righteousness he does not do wrong what he does and everything that he does is fair he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness now in verses 9 and 10 we're going to look at the promises of a protecting God. We've seen praise to the person of God, power in the presence of God, now we're going to look at the promises of a protecting God in verses 9 through 11. Notice how he protects. the promises of a protecting God. And oh, I'm sure that Martin and Gracia Burnham, as they're held hostage in the Philippines for one year now, they are seeking the promises of a protecting God. And if God should see fit to take them through death, it is only to a better place and to their reward. But notice verses 9-11, The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in time of trouble. They that know thy name will put their trust in thee, for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee." The Lord is going to protect you. He will not forsake you. Sing praises to the Lord which dwelleth in Zion. Declare among the people his doing. You know, it's through the trials and the testings that we're made stronger. You've heard the saying often again that calm seas don't make good sailors. And it's through the trials and the testings that we're able to demonstrate to our children the truth that God provides. that God's grace is sufficient. It's through the trials that our children will learn that God is faithful to His own, that God will fight for His own, that God is fair in all that He does. And we need to sing praises to the Lord and declare among the people His doings. I was having a conversation not long ago with a young man who told me, he said, you know, Pastor John, I just don't understand why churches don't testify more than they do. And I said, what do you mean by that? I was really taken aback and wondering, did he mean that we needed to have more testimony services? And he said, well, we in the younger generation need to hear about the testimonies of the previous generation, the struggles that they went through. If they were involved in alcoholism and God gave them the victory, we need to know about it so that we, who may be facing alcoholism, can hear and learn that yes, there is victory. But the comment of this young man was in essence this. He said, it seems like people are too proud. What will people think of me if I tell them that I was once an alcoholic? What will people in the church think of me if I tell them that once I was involved in drugs? What will people think of me if I tell the people that I once had an abortion? Or that I once was involved in pornography? Or I once whatever? But what will people think of me? And the new generation does not see the victory. And I began to think, and I said, you know, there is the power of a testimony. And it says here, declare among the people his doings. And maybe we need to be a little more open. Oh, not to be, what is the word, indiscreet with details and comments. But I believe that for a pastor to be able to have individuals that he knows had certain backgrounds, where when people come and they have a need, I'm able to say, well, I can take you to someone who will especially be a help to you, because they have been through the battle. They know what it's all about. But you see, if we keep all of God's doings of deliverance to ourselves and never share, even interpersonally, we will oftentimes short-circuit the glory and the praise and the promises of that protecting God. Now I want you to notice in verses 12 through 14, we have prayer to our powerful Lord. Prayer to our powerful Lord. Inquisition for blood, he remembers them. He forgeteth not the cry of the humble. Are you crying out to the Lord? Prayer to our powerful Lord. Notice, have mercy upon me, O Lord. That's the prayer. Consider my trouble, which I suffer of them that hate me. Thou that liftest me up from the gates of death. how often times I've sensed that lifting up. When my soul was so low that I had to reach up to touch bottom, And I got into the Word of God and read His promises. Just this last week, I was burdened about a young person that I've been praying for that I know has been going through some rough trials and testings. And my spirit was discouraged for them. And then I got into the Word of God and then I poured out my heart and said, Lord, I've done everything that I know to do. I've said everything that I know to say. And it's almost like a wave of peace went over me. And the Spirit of God spoke to my heart and said, you leave it to me. I'm going to answer your prayer. And I had a tremendous rush of peace in my heart. The Lord lifted me up from the gates of death. For some it might be the night before a great surgery where you're wrestling like Jacob with the Lord and God gives you a verse that just lifts you up and gets you ready for whatever trial you may be going through. But notice in verse 14, that I may show forth all thy praise. Do you see how over and over again, the purpose of trials is not only to praise and pray to God, but to show forth God's doing. We need to be able to share with one another, not only the needs, but the praises, because we need to hear that of one another. I want to show forth thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion. I will rejoice in thy salvation, our prayer to the wonderful Lord. Now, in verses 15 through 20, we're going to look at prevailing over the provokers of God. Ah, we can prevail. If we praise, if we meditate upon His presence, see Him as our protector and our power, we can prevail. And notice, it says here in verses 15-20, we can prevail over the provokers of God. They'll continue provoking God, but there's prevailing. It says, "...the heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made." in the net which they hid is their own foot taken." Remember last week we were looking at Psalm 7, and we were seeing that same concept, and we brought up Haman and Haman's gallows? Here it goes on again. And it says, the same trap that they set, verse 15, their own foot is taken. The Lord is known by the judgment which He executes. The wicked is snared in the work of His own hands. Hegion, Sila. Oh, what a meditation we can have on that! A double Sila! We can really trust in the name of the Lord. The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the nations that forget God. You know, that's a good verse for us to keep in mind as we're facing principalities and powers and the evil forces and the evil nations that are fighting against the truth of God's Word. The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." That's a good one to underline. It says here that the Lord will prevail over the provokers of God. Now notice verse 18, "...for the needy shall not always be forgotten." The expectation of the poor shall not perish forever." God will deliver in His time. The underdog will win, no matter how sheisty the lawyer, no matter how slick may be the perpetrators of evil. It says, the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever. And then we have that military cry that we read about in Psalm 7 as well. Lord, go get them. It's a military cry. Arise, O Lord. Let not man prevail. Are you praying tonight in your prayer? Lord, arise. Here's a need. Arise. Show forth your power. Let not man prevail. Let the heathen be judged in thy sight. Put them in fear, O Lord, that the nations may know themselves to be but men. But men. against a powerful God, Selah. So there's power in learning the secret of praise and prayer. Let's go to the Lord now. Father we thank you for your word and Lord we can see in David's life the emotions that flow through our minds on a daily basis. But Lord, I thank You that when we're praying tonight, we're praying to a person. And Lord, You're able to hear our prayers. And we come to You in reverence. We come before Your presence. And Lord, how I thank You for Your protection and Your power. And Lord, we know that Philippians 1.6 says that we shall prevail. He that hath begun a good work in us will perform it until the day of Christ Jesus. Lord, there are so many other things that we could share in this psalm, but Father, we just pray that you would bless us and challenge our hearts to being men and women of praise. And we have a great deal to praise you for, even tonight. So we'll give you the praise in Jesus' name. Amen.