Psalm 65, verses 1 through 13. Praise is awaiting you, O God in Zion, and to you the vow shall be performed. O you who hear prayer, to you all flesh will come. Iniquities prevail against me. As for our transgressions, you will provide atonement for them. Blessed is the man you choose and cause to approach you, that he may dwell in your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, of your holy temple. By awesome deeds and righteousness, you will answer us, O God of our salvation, you who are the confidence of all the ends of the earth and of the far off seas, who established the mountains by his strength being clothed with power, you who still the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the peoples. They also who dwell in the farthest parts are afraid of your signs. You make the outgoings of the morning and evening rejoice. You visit the earth and water it. You greatly enrich it. The river of God is full of water. You provide their grain, for so you have prepared it. You water its ridges abundantly. You settle its furrows. You make it soft with showers. You bless its growth. You crown the year with your goodness, and your paths drip with abundance. They drop on the pastures of the wilderness, and the little hills rejoice on every side. The pastures are clothed with flocks. The valleys also are covered with grain. They shout for joy, they also sing. Now certainly, as we come to the end of another year, it is appropriate to consider anew God's faithfulness. You can always think of that through every year, and it is precisely because the Lord is faithful that God's people have experienced blessedness through the past year, as always. And indeed, he is always good to his chosen ones, Therefore, beloved, you know that in our greatest troubles and griefs also faith whispers, as it were, to the believer saying, our God is faithful. And what a Christian's life here on earth ends and that one is taken immediately to heaven. Oh, what great faithfulness the Lord shows in that assured reality for his people. Well, even nations should acknowledge the Lord's goodness, of course, and certainly we We can understand that ourselves. We understand also the times of grief and struggle. And we certainly can grieve over the awful situations that we see, whether it's crime, whatever it is, and with Americans being murdered at times and all kinds of attacks in our land. And yet remember also, for example, that many attempted terrorist acts have been stopped here in the 17 years since 9-11-01. And other nations have also seen evildoers restrained many times by the power and goodness of the Lord when and as He determines. Yes, He is King over all in that way. Also, you and I can declare that our God provides bringing earthly good to all the nations in His kindness. And because of that, all people, as the scriptures say, should, of course, be led to repent and rely upon the one true God. He is that one so good. And so with this psalm, let us consider how our God is always showing His power and His goodness as He is faithful. He does so in the kingdom of His grace, the kingdom of His grace, and secondly, in the kingdom of His providence. Well, this is a psalm of David, of course, and it has many elements of a harvest or Thanksgiving psalm, and yet it also speaks much about how the Lord is the God of salvation from sin, and that He is our hope for the future as His people. What else could we rely upon? Anything on earth other than our God can be unchanging and so variable and not reliable, But he is the one to depend upon always, of course. Indeed, this may have been written at a time of national deliverance from famine or from enemies after prayers were heard and the sins of the people were forgiven. God covered over them in that way. In any case, it certainly speaks of God's kingdom of grace. He is faithful. There is a redeemer of all believers in hearing our praises, prayers, and confession. Yes, true worshipers of the Lord are envisioned here as praising or celebrating the Lord's mercy and answers to prayer. For He had clearly provided deliverance from enemies and provided the harvest for God's people in Israel's past, in all their history, they had to see that and acknowledge it. And yet the first joy expressed here is in reconciliation with the Holy God and welcome in worship at Mount Zion in Jerusalem. Verse one starts literally to the silence praise. Well, that may seem rather strange, but likely means the height of worship is not all the noise we could possibly make, but silent all in God's presence or submitting silently even at times. As we submit to His will, we are to do that always with praises to Him. And you know, the Middle Eastern servant, say, waiting silently to discern his master's will can be a good illustration of that desire. It declares that we owe our God all praise as a right and proper duty. Indeed, brothers and sisters, our Heavenly Father is gracious to even hear to even hear our praises when we still, of course, have an old sinful nature that is not filled with perfect love for him and so often does not want to praise him. But, you know, the wonderful assurance to all believers is that God receives our worship, obviously, through the merits of Jesus Christ alone. And so we should find here great, great encouragement to continually praise our faithful God, our Father in heaven, when amazingly He awaits those praises from His people. Well, likewise, the Lord is the one who hears the prayers of believers, as it says in verse 2. That is part of His glory, as He chooses to hear us, invites us to pray, to seek His face, Indeed, God is so led by His grace in that way. And we could say that if He did not hear His people, He would, in a certain sense, be denying His own nature, as He is such a God of grace and salvation and wants to hear us. Of course, then, those without true faith do not really come to God in any supposed prayers they offer. But Christians do come. We come into His presence. And again, we are heard through the righteousness of Christ and through his saving death at the cross. Yes, that is assured to all who look to Jesus in repentance and faith. And so thanks be to our God. He is so faithful. Well, in verse two, David said to you, all flesh will come. And that was a prophecy that believers of all the nations of the world would come to him, of course, not just of Israel. And certainly, beloved, as with David and All believers, our foremost need of and our prayers for forgiveness are graciously answered by our faithful God. Obviously, that is our utter need. And so the Lord assured us, as in 1 John 1, 9, that those who cry out to him in that faith, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Certainly, David believed in that reality, as he said in other Psalms as well. Blessed is the one whose sins are covered. Here in verse 3, though, he said, iniquities prevail against me. That is, David could acknowledge his sins. Why? Because of God's forgiving grace and looking to his sure mercy. Yes, you know, there also the truth that a repentant sinner's confession is heard by God. That one is assured of forgiveness in the Lord's kingdom of grace. So again, David freely confessed his own sins and then the sins of his nation with him as he was the king. And he was to do that on behalf of his people. Often, yes, often, time again, he gives such an example in himself even to exhort everyone to examine his or her own guilt and look to the Lord for mercy. And so certainly, brothers and sisters, we are each to have, obviously, a deep sense of the evil of our sins as well. But then, through faith in Christ, every believer may have a confident reliance on the forgiving mercy of our God. We know how Christ gave his entire life in this world in perfect obedience and righteousness. He suffered the penalty of hell as only he could for his people. And even as we know with the Lord's Suppers, we celebrated that yesterday. It is always a time to properly examine ourselves if we are relying on Christ's work alone. For repentance, faith, and new life in the Lord, these are essential to partake properly of that sacrament, you know. Well, you know also that we must each walk in that faith throughout our life in this world. It's not enough to just say, well, I did that for a while. I did that for so many years, and now I can say I'm past that. No, we are to walk all our days in this faith and to marvel in all our lifetime as followers of Jesus that God truly hears our prayers, our praises, our confession, according to His saving grace, His unmerited favor to His own. That is indeed, certainly is, great assurance as we think of the closing year as we look to a new year. For again, God is faithful in the kingdom of his grace. It is also clear in his work providing atonement, fellowship, and confidence. Continuing in verse 3, David gave the believers reason for all assurance before the Holy Lord. He said, as for our transgressions, you will provide atonement for them. David wasn't one of those Jews who had no real faith, but brought their sacrifices and then thought, well, God accepted me because I did that. Oh, the faithful look to a Redeemer to come who would fulfill all that was foreshadowed there. God would provide the atonement truly. And so, beloved, he knew as you and I must that our sins certainly in themselves make us unworthy of God's blessings over the past year. But again, by His grace, we receive them, His blessings, now and forever. Oh, yes, we should think, how is that possible? Again, only because the Lord has provided atonement for His followers. Well, obviously, as sinners, there is no way we could provide a covering, an atonement, a remedy for our sins. But the believers, the faithful in Israel, looked to God for redemption or consolation by atonement. Again, we considered that yesterday as with the faith of Simeon and Anna, as they looked unto the Messiah to be the redeemer of men. Those age of believers were privileged to see Jesus the Christ. And we, though, we have learned more than they knew of how Jesus came to save even by His perfect righteousness and His sacrifice. And so, of course, relying on His atoning death and His resurrection from the dead, that gives one the greatest and only true confidence for living in the next year as well as for the next life. For you and I do not know what this new year coming will hold for us, but our God knows, and He is faithful. Christ has proven it in an infinite way, of course. He has provided for our acceptance with the Lord God forever by His grace, and so we can live, then, trusting Him in full assurance of His saving work, come what may, in every year. Likewise, because of this Redeemer, sinners can have fellowship. We have that fellowship or communion with the Holy God, even while in this world. Oh, that is described in verse 4, as being chosen to approach and dwell with him. Well, who would the Israelites of old think of there? It was typically the priests and the Levites, you know, who could come to the tabernacle and then the temple of Israel. And they were literally to be in the temple courts continually by the Lord's call. But all those of Israel with a pure heart, that is, having true faith, had the blessing of fellowship with him. They came to worship. they lived before him. Certainly you know it is always God's sovereign choice if he saves and brings us life with him in Christ. What comfort it is to be known by God and to know him in that fellowship which all of God's chosen ones of all nations have for the new year and always. Yes, it is blessedness for all of life, which believers have. Think how it is described in Hebrews 10, 19 and following. Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he consecrated for us through the veil that is his flesh. He is provided for that fellowship truly with the Lord. And so, indeed, may you and I experience it, that fellowship increasingly trusting in Christ and by setting our hearts on our relationship with our God. Oh, then, dear ones, you and I will desire and seek communion with Him above all in prayer, in worship, in hearing His Word. As Matthew Henry wrote, we are to care for the matters of joining in worship to God as we do for matters of our own households. Certainly, to worship the Lord is to be of utmost importance to us. Well, as further motivation for that fellowship, consider what the result will be. Again, verse four, we shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, of your holy temple. Now, you know, although Old Testament worship had much ritual, all that the people went through there, the spiritual blessings of fellowship with the Lord were satisfying to the faithful Israelites. They rejoiced sincerely in having their forgiveness assurance, comfort, and peace through God's amazing grace. That was then, and now we know far more, of course, again in Christ. Certainly, oh dear ones, it is right that we enjoy the life of communion with the triune God. As Romans 5, 1 and 2 assures, therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Oh, when God's grace has provided infinitely for us, there is no better thanks to give than for you and me to hunger and thirst for more of that fellowship or friendship and communion with the Lord, and to satisfy our souls therein. Yes, may that truly be the chief goal for you and me in 2019. We want to be satisfied in our Lord. Well, also Christians are granted confidence, again, by God's grace in his kingdom as confessed in verse five, it was by awesome deeds of righteousness that the Lord had answered and saved them. And certainly they experienced that, as you know, outwardly when delivered from Egypt and from other enemies again and again. However, the faithful then and now know the most awesome deed of our Lord was this atonement for sin in Christ. And you and I know His sacrifice perfectly fulfilled God's righteousness and justice in His grace. And so yes, trusting in that work of Jesus, our Lord, we can say truthfully that the God of our salvation is the confidence of all the ends of the earth, it's said here. Well, certainly David there proclaimed that our Lord is no local deity. You know, as pagans imagined in their own country, they had their own little God. Each land had their own gods. Instead, all people on earth are called to look to this one true God, the triune God, for true confidence and comfort in life and in death. Indeed, when the gospel is now going forth by Christ's command, God's kingdom of grace is being more manifest to the ends of the earth. And so, beloved, may we each delight in his saving grace in our worship and having atonement in the Lord, fellowship and confidence in Jesus, even as we live in the year ahead. And that way God will be glorified through us and in us in his kingdom of grace. Secondly, he is faithful in the kingdom of his providence. Now in verses 6 to 13, David proclaimed that God is Lord over nature and man is always in control, even though we can have our doubts and our fears so often as we have that sinful nature rising up in us. But the Lord God can put the unruly in their place, as David says, but He also provides good to all on earth. And so the kingdom of His providence is seen, as He is faithfully ruling over nature and nations. Verse 6, God is the one who established the mountains by His strength, being clothed with power. You can think of the great mountains and how they appear, of course, so massive and secure, so majestic. We used to live in Colorado for some time, and my family experienced when we drove to the top of Pikes Peak some years ago that the massiveness and all of that, and you know, they're at over 14,000 feet on a clear day anyway. You can see into several states. Well, our God made and upholds all the mountains the earth. He rules over all nature, of course. He is that one for you and me to rely upon. Or we can think of the seas as in verse 7 here, which seem to be menacingly wild, as one wrote. And yet understand the psalmist did not think of mountains or seas apart from their creator. For yes, all things are ruled over and upheld by His almighty hand, and therefore none of the things of creation are to be objects of trust or terror in themselves, not for those who rest in the Lord, the Creator, the Ruler, the Redeemer. Again, God rules over all, and as for the mountains, the Lord says that His covenant of grace, you know, to save His people, that covenant with believers stands more firmly than all the world's mountains. Yes, beloved, you know, I said here that God stills the noise of the seas as He chooses. Think of Jesus did that literally on the Sea of Galilee when the storm arose, and He just said, peace be still, and so it was. He has power over all nature in his kingdom of providence, certainly. Again, you and I can also understand that as the Lord of glory, Christ instills the tumults of the peoples here, or the sea of humanity in all nations as he chooses. Truly, when he grants faith, we know, we know by experience trusting him, that the restless heart of the sinner is calm. Oh, may he show that work in us, and may we exhibit it more and more, resting in our Lord Jesus. So we're to be his witnesses in the new year. Again, there is found great comfort in God's providence if we look ahead to the next year in faith. After all, since he can even convert the most rebellious when he chooses, is it not obvious that no worldly powers or people could ever destroy Christ's church. No, it will continue to the last day. And the Lord deals with all people, really, in awesome deeds, even bringing down kingdoms raised against him in due time. Certainly, in one way, he does that. It has been so, for example, with the Assyrians of old, with the Babylonians, the Roman Empire, or with Hitler, Stalin, Sodom, Hussein, or ISIS, whatever evil group we could think of, He controls what occurs according to His mercy, according to His sovereignty, for our God reigns. So also in verse 8, people will be afraid of His signs, the psalmist said. Well, you know, the Almighty can give fearful signs of His rule and power as in even nature. We think of that when there's severe weather. He also shows his signs in judgments upon nations, even in giving them up to their sins. They don't want to hear his word. He can give them over to that injustice. Or God shows fearful signs in delivering believers from troubles and persecutions as he determines and in answering our prayers. Moses, again, he did that in Christ's victory over the grave. He rose bodily. after his work to redeem sinners. Well, with such an almighty sign, certainly it is awful when some who profess to believe on Christ deny his bodily resurrection, for example. I'm afraid as churches get more and more and become more and more those who are denying God's word, really, we're going to see more and more of that denying of what Christ has even done. And yet, beloved, God's rule in His kingdom of providence is secure, no matter what foolishness man may promote. So again, you and I must be confident, as we're told in this psalm, to say that the Lord made all things to His praise. He rules, and let us each then, more fully, sincerely, and in love for Father, Son, and Spirit, give God all our worship as we live in this world looking to the next. Yes, we're called to serve Him all our days in all gratitude for being God and doing all things well. That is most needful for us. It's to be part of your and my experience of confidence and peace in His kingdom of providence as well as His kingdom of grace. Again, it's providence God rules over nature and nations. Lastly, the Lord's faithfulness is seen in providing all good on earth. Verses nine and following tell us that the Lord visits the earth. That is, he looks after it. He is always present and active in his world. Indeed, as we've seen, of course, from Genesis recently, God created a very fertile earth. So as he first made, And in spite of the curse on creation due to man's sin, the Lord still grants productivity on earth. He commonly provides for it as the God of abundance. And don't we so often take that for granted? Certainly in America, we can see and we have so much abundance that other nations do not have so much. But yet, in particular times, our Lord more fully visits or blesses or judges in the matter of his provisions." Well, David rejoiced here in a particular time, then a blessing in how the Lord God provided and prepared for Earth's fertility. It's certain that God will continue to do that for mankind, as he promised. The seasons will continue, yes, year after year. He promised that after the great flood, it will continue until the last day. Yeah, there are certainly times when there are famines in this world, as with his judgments. And yet, you know, they're only in certain areas at once. Only certain areas. Why? Because of his rule in providing all good on earth. Of course, it's been his will that human beings have not perished from the earth, but have increased. He is this God of providence. Nonetheless, when times are good, you know, the ungodly will certainly look to secondary causes as with weather patterns and so forth, never looking to the Lord. But we must not be like that, the godly. We must proclaim that He is the first cause, the very source of every raindrop, of sunshine, and every good thing, and certainly of the food that we need. And so as Christians, you and I should then take stock or look back over the past year, see all the blessings that have been granted to us. In that way, you and I can confess as in verse 11, which could be transcended, you crown the year of your bounty. As for all good on earth is truly God's gift of mercy to us. Good that you and I do not deserve in ourselves, It is therefore a year of divine goodness and mercy, which we should see when we do look back. And even though we're in winter now, of course, it is also the prospective harvest that David looked forward to in the last verses here. He looked forward to it and he saw the pastures and the fields to come as if they'd put on finest clothes in flocks and grain to rejoice together. Again, that confidence for the next year and in God's good gifts, his people are certainly to have. Well, in all of this, again, we are to trust in our Lord. For Christ's coming makes even barren hearts as well. to be fruitful in every good work when He gives us faith. And valleys, you know, literal valleys cannot really shout for joy as with a voice, but God's people can. And we are to do that, to praise Him for all His blessings. Yes, how evident it is, dear ones, that we must live to honor our Lord, having redemption in Christ, and having the God of all creation, grace, and providence, giving us what we truly need. Yes, he gives all the good we have year by year. Fools will deny that, and they won't want to admit it at all. But you and I must acknowledge God's saving grace and his providence to us and to all believers of all time. So yes, may we each love the true God, the triune God more, as we partake of his gifts yearly. And as we do that each day, may we glorify the Lord our God in our bodies, which he provides for, and in our minds, which Christ enlightens by his saving grace. Yes, may our souls be satisfied in the Lord that we rightly bear witness to him this next year. Truly, beloved, we are then to look beyond all the provisions for this life unto the final visiting of our God. Yes, we're to live in that faith, as Christ said, to be waiting on Him. When He comes again, then creation will rejoice, as it were, to welcome Him. Certainly His people will. We must be ready to do that, clearly. Indeed, may each one walk in that faith, with new obedience and joy in the coming year. Amen. Let us pray together. Oh, Heavenly Father, how we do praise you that you are the great and glorious God. You are the sovereign Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You've made all things for your honor and your glory. So yes, you are the God of creation and of redemption. You rule over all things in your kingdom of grace and your kingdom of providence. And so as we trust in Jesus Christ above all, who gave himself at the cross, we can know you will be faithful to us throughout all the days, the moments of our lives, throughout every year. We thank you for all the ways you have provided for us in the past year. May we depend upon your mercies in the year coming. And certainly, yes, to bear witness unto the Lord Jesus Christ. May others be one to him as we speak and live faithfully. May we do that more and more by your grace and spirit. Again, turn us away from any thoughts of denying the truth that you are that good and glorious, merciful God. And may we speak for our Lord Jesus. Lead us and guide us as your people that you would be honored and that many more in our land and other nations would be turned to you, we do pray. We ask it in Christ's name and for his sake. Now we do pray together as Christ taught.