1 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:08,039 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Hi there, and welcome to another Prayer through 2 00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 1: the Psalms episode of the Praying Christian Women podcast. I'm 3 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:16,919 Speaker 1: Jamie and you might notice it's Monday, and we usually 4 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 1: don't do prayers through the Psalms on Mondays. Typically we 5 00:00:19,800 --> 00:00:22,960 Speaker 1: have a topical episode on Mondays and then a Prayer 6 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:25,599 Speaker 1: through the Psalms on Wednesdays. Over the summer, for the 7 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 1: next maybe six to eight weeks or more, we're going 8 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:30,600 Speaker 1: to be a little more fluid with how we do things. 9 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 1: We might have prayer through the Psalms on Mondays, we 10 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:35,400 Speaker 1: might have topical episodes. We're going to just stick to 11 00:00:35,479 --> 00:00:39,600 Speaker 1: Monday only releases during the summer to kind of reduce 12 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: the load of what you need to take in because 13 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:45,520 Speaker 1: you're probably busy too, and to help us. We've missed 14 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:48,599 Speaker 1: a few recording sessions. I had lost my voice so 15 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:52,160 Speaker 1: that we lost about a week of recording. It's coming back, 16 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:54,480 Speaker 1: so we're getting back there, but it's been a little 17 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 1: bit difficult for us to schedule time to record. So 18 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:01,640 Speaker 1: we are still going to continue to regularly give you 19 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:04,640 Speaker 1: new content on Mondays. It just may or may not 20 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:07,480 Speaker 1: be exactly what you're used to, but we're so glad 21 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:10,760 Speaker 1: you're here, and today I'm excited to be talking about 22 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 1: and praying through Psalm sixty five. Psalm sixty five is 23 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 1: called God's Abundant Favor to Earth and Man for the 24 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:22,319 Speaker 1: choir director a Psalm of David a song, and many 25 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:26,200 Speaker 1: historians and theologians think this might have been sort of 26 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:32,119 Speaker 1: a fertility or a harvest celebration song that was sung 27 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:37,480 Speaker 1: at different times. And the significance of this, though, is not. 28 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 1: As we go through it, you'll see this is praising God, 29 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:45,120 Speaker 1: it's giving him credit and authority for provision. But it's 30 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 1: not just that. If you look at it in more 31 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 1: of a historical and cultural context and even like geographical context, 32 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:58,280 Speaker 1: this was actually more than just praising God. It was 33 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 1: like an assault on foreign gods, particularly Bail. So much 34 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 1: like today where Israel is kind of surrounded by people 35 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:13,079 Speaker 1: who are hostile toward them, who do not share their faith, 36 00:02:13,160 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 1: this was the same thing that the people of Israel 37 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:18,800 Speaker 1: were in the same situation where they were a small 38 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 1: group of people surrounded by the greater Canaanite population, and 39 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:27,520 Speaker 1: one of their main gods was Bail, and there were 40 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 1: other gods also, but Bail was a very prominent god 41 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:36,080 Speaker 1: of that time and of that region. And one of 42 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 1: the things that he represents is he's kind of depicted 43 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:46,280 Speaker 1: as this god who fights against what the chaos waters 44 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 1: and brings order to them. It's also a He's also 45 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:56,919 Speaker 1: a god that's believed to send rain, control storms, ride 46 00:02:56,919 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 1: on the clouds, guarantee crops. There are many different traditions 47 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 1: of idol and god worship that involve many different ones. 48 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 1: He's kind of a big deal. He's like kind of 49 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:11,680 Speaker 1: considered to be, you know, rivaling the God of Abraham, 50 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 1: Isaac and Jacob. And you see that in the Elijah 51 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 1: story where Elijah goes up on the mountain and he's 52 00:03:17,600 --> 00:03:20,919 Speaker 1: like challenging the prophets of Bail, like who's going to 53 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 1: bring fire down? Is it the God of Abraham, Isaac 54 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:26,280 Speaker 1: and Jacob? Is it Bail? Who's going to consume the 55 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:30,640 Speaker 1: sacrifice on the altar? And in Jeremiah nineteen, I think 56 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:34,440 Speaker 1: this really shows the extent of the challenge that it 57 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 1: was for God to maintain his people's loyalty, because constantly 58 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: you kind of picture, oh, the Israelites going along, they 59 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 1: see these signs and wonders from God, and they're faithful. Well, 60 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:49,520 Speaker 1: any reading of the Bible, we know that they were unfaithful, unfaithful, 61 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 1: and more unfaithful all along. I mean even when Moses 62 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:55,120 Speaker 1: went up on a Mount Sinai to get the tablets, 63 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:57,360 Speaker 1: he comes back down and they've already got this golden calf. 64 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 1: So they're struggle, and you have to put yourself in 65 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 1: the context of they're not a society that has ready 66 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 1: access to water, that has these beautiful rivers, and you 67 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 1: know it's not easy for them. They're constantly battling drought, 68 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 1: they're constantly battling famine. They're constantly looking for provision, and 69 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:24,440 Speaker 1: so the moment the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob 70 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 1: or his prophet or representative leaves their field of vision, 71 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:32,839 Speaker 1: they're instantly just looking desperately for something or someone to 72 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 1: fill in that void. So it's a constant battle. And 73 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:37,760 Speaker 1: then they're in the midst of this land where they're 74 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:39,960 Speaker 1: the minority and all these people in the land of 75 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:43,839 Speaker 1: Canaan are the majority. And another thing that they're battling 76 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 1: is intermarriage with these other religions and bringing that in 77 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:51,719 Speaker 1: even though they're not supposed to. Some of these wives 78 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:55,920 Speaker 1: will just continue either morphing their bail worship in with 79 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 1: some of the practices that God has given their people 80 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:03,880 Speaker 1: to observe, or completely retaining their own faith and swaying 81 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 1: their husbands in that direction. So you'll see a lot 82 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:10,279 Speaker 1: of that. And this really shows in Jeremiah nineteen, verses 83 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:13,200 Speaker 1: four through six. Because they have forsaken me and have 84 00:05:13,279 --> 00:05:16,640 Speaker 1: made this an alien place and have burnt sacrifices in 85 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:19,760 Speaker 1: it to other gods that neither they, nor their forefathers, 86 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:22,839 Speaker 1: nor the kings of Judah had ever known. But because 87 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 1: they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent, 88 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:27,840 Speaker 1: and have built the high places of bail to burn 89 00:05:27,880 --> 00:05:30,520 Speaker 1: their sons in the fire as burnt offerings to bail, 90 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:34,159 Speaker 1: a thing which I never commanded or spoke of, nor 91 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 1: did it ever enter my mind. Therefore, behold, the days 92 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:39,200 Speaker 1: are coming, declares the Lord with this place will no 93 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:42,159 Speaker 1: longer be called Tofeth or the valley of ben Hinhem, 94 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 1: but rather the valley of Slaughter. And so this is 95 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:51,599 Speaker 1: basically fleshing out like these people who were formerly children 96 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:55,800 Speaker 1: of God built high places to bail to sacrifice their 97 00:05:55,880 --> 00:06:00,720 Speaker 1: children in fire, something God never intended. The closest thing 98 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 1: we get to that is God calling Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, 99 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:09,440 Speaker 1: and he doesn't sacrifice Isaac. He instead provides a ram 100 00:06:09,640 --> 00:06:13,960 Speaker 1: out of the thicket as a sacrifice to preserve the 101 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:19,040 Speaker 1: life of Isaac. Abraham presumably he came from a pagan 102 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 1: background where he would expect God to require death of 103 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:27,279 Speaker 1: a loved one in order to gain favor. And so 104 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:31,719 Speaker 1: God used that object lesson to show that he's a 105 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:35,240 Speaker 1: different kind of God. He is a loving God, so 106 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:38,479 Speaker 1: loving that he would provide not only just a ram 107 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:41,360 Speaker 1: in the thicket like he showed Abraham, but he would 108 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:46,240 Speaker 1: provide his only begotten son, innocent, blameless, and he would 109 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:50,680 Speaker 1: sacrifice him for us, not the other way around. So 110 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:54,719 Speaker 1: reading in this context is so rich, and it just 111 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:58,800 Speaker 1: adds a new dimension of goodness of God, not just 112 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:01,239 Speaker 1: because he's good we're used to hearing about the goodness 113 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:04,960 Speaker 1: of God as modern day Christians. Back then, this was 114 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:08,880 Speaker 1: in stark contrast to the gods that they viewed in 115 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:14,560 Speaker 1: that day as territorial principalities ruling over these areas and 116 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 1: these nations. And they were not good. They were bloodthirsty 117 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 1: at times, they were demanding. They took and took and 118 00:07:23,560 --> 00:07:27,040 Speaker 1: took and then we have this God who gives, this 119 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:30,680 Speaker 1: God who loves, this God who provides not for what 120 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 1: we've done, but because of who he is, calling his 121 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 1: people into a relationship with him, to adopt them as 122 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:46,840 Speaker 1: sons and daughters, as opposed to slaves. So that's the 123 00:07:46,880 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 1: background on Psalm sixty five. All right, let's pray God, 124 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:10,840 Speaker 1: we just thank you for this opportunity to read through 125 00:08:10,840 --> 00:08:15,880 Speaker 1: the Psalm to think more about the stark contrast between 126 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:23,120 Speaker 1: who you are and who these other territorial gods were 127 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 1: in this time. And as we read it, I just 128 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:29,920 Speaker 1: pray that we would not just hear the same things 129 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 1: that we're used to hearing about you. As modern Christians. 130 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 1: We're used to meditating on your goodness, but without a 131 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:43,520 Speaker 1: backdrop of ugliness and darkness, it's hard to really comprehend 132 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:50,079 Speaker 1: the revolution you brought by choosing people and loving them 133 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:54,680 Speaker 1: and extending your goodness throughout the whole earth, so that 134 00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:59,080 Speaker 1: there's no longer this idea of territorial gods. But there's 135 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:03,640 Speaker 1: this very real truth of the God who created everything. 136 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:10,319 Speaker 1: There are no other gods before you. You're the Alpha 137 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:12,960 Speaker 1: and the Omega, the beginning and the end. And we 138 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 1: praise you for that, Lord, and we pray that we'd 139 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:18,839 Speaker 1: catch a glimpse of that. And we just pray also 140 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 1: in our modern Christian lives, that we would be able 141 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:27,400 Speaker 1: to see your goodness magnified against the backdrop of evil 142 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:33,760 Speaker 1: in the world today, magnified against the futility of the 143 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:39,440 Speaker 1: vices and the comforts we chase here on earth. I 144 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:43,640 Speaker 1: just pray that even our own vices, even the things 145 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:46,080 Speaker 1: that we cling to, that we go to that we 146 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:48,800 Speaker 1: think are good and bring us comfort, that they would 147 00:09:48,840 --> 00:09:52,280 Speaker 1: pale in comparison to who you are and the power 148 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:56,120 Speaker 1: of what you can do when we make you the 149 00:09:56,160 --> 00:10:02,920 Speaker 1: Lord of our lives. Amen. Okay. This is Psalm sixty 150 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:06,400 Speaker 1: five from the New American Standard Bible nineteen ninety five. 151 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:11,440 Speaker 1: God's abundant favor to earth and man for the choir director, 152 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:15,720 Speaker 1: a Psalm of David a song. There will be silence 153 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:19,600 Speaker 1: before you and praise in Zion, Oh God, And to 154 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:23,520 Speaker 1: you the vow will be performed, Oh you who hear prayer. 155 00:10:24,120 --> 00:10:29,439 Speaker 1: To you, all men come, iniquities prevail against me, As 156 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:33,800 Speaker 1: for our transgressions, you forgive them. How blessed is the 157 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:36,400 Speaker 1: one whom you choose and bring near to you to 158 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:39,840 Speaker 1: dwell in your courts. We will be satisfied with the 159 00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 1: goodness of your house, your holy temple. By awesome deeds 160 00:10:44,679 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 1: you answer us in righteousness, Oh God of our salvation, 161 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:50,800 Speaker 1: You who are thrust of all the ends of the 162 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:54,960 Speaker 1: earth and of the farthest sea, who establishes the mountains 163 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 1: by his strength, being girded with might, who stills the 164 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:02,840 Speaker 1: roaring of the sea, the roaring of their waves, and 165 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:06,440 Speaker 1: the tumult of the peoples. They who dwell in the 166 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:10,000 Speaker 1: ends of the earth stand in awe of your signs. 167 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:13,120 Speaker 1: You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy. 168 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:17,640 Speaker 1: You visit the earth and cause it to overflow. You 169 00:11:17,679 --> 00:11:20,839 Speaker 1: greatly enrich it. The stream of God is full of water. 170 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:24,600 Speaker 1: You prepare their grain. For thus you prepare the earth. 171 00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:29,760 Speaker 1: You water its furrows abundantly, you settle its ridges, You 172 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:33,600 Speaker 1: soften it with showers, You bless its growth. You have 173 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:36,760 Speaker 1: crowned the year with your bounty, and your paths drip 174 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:40,800 Speaker 1: with fatness. The pastures of the wilderness drip, and the 175 00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 1: hills gird themselves with rejoicing. The meadows are clothed with flocks, 176 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:49,720 Speaker 1: and the valleys are covered with grain. They shout for joy. Yes, 177 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:54,720 Speaker 1: they sing. So I love this first verse. There will 178 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:59,200 Speaker 1: be silence before you and praise in zion o God. 179 00:12:00,400 --> 00:12:05,760 Speaker 1: I feel like this is permission that silence can be 180 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:11,520 Speaker 1: truly a valid and a really effective method of praise. 181 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:14,960 Speaker 1: That we don't always have to be talking, we don't 182 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:17,360 Speaker 1: always have to be listening to praise and worship music, 183 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 1: we don't always have to be listening to a sermon 184 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:25,040 Speaker 1: or reading the Bible. Even we can be silent. We 185 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:28,600 Speaker 1: can just be in silent worship of God, and that 186 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:36,360 Speaker 1: that is not only allowable, but potentially really beneficial. And 187 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:39,880 Speaker 1: it says and to you, the vow will be performed. 188 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:42,560 Speaker 1: And again, now that I'm reading this in the context 189 00:12:42,679 --> 00:12:47,680 Speaker 1: of bail worship and Canaanite pagan gods and these territorial entities, 190 00:12:49,040 --> 00:12:52,880 Speaker 1: I'm seeing this as a song sung to God by 191 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:56,720 Speaker 1: His people, saying to you, the vowel will be performed, 192 00:12:56,920 --> 00:13:00,800 Speaker 1: not to bail, not to any of these other entities 193 00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:03,080 Speaker 1: that were being worshiped at the time, but to you, 194 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 1: Oh God, Oh you who hear prayer. To you, all 195 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:14,600 Speaker 1: men come and iniquities prevail against me. As for our transgressions, 196 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:19,319 Speaker 1: you forgive them and again, this is in contrast to 197 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:25,240 Speaker 1: the other entities that were worshiped in that time. There 198 00:13:25,280 --> 00:13:31,200 Speaker 1: was no forgiveness. There was only bribery into bending their 199 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:36,360 Speaker 1: will to grace you with fertility, with harvest, with water, 200 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:41,040 Speaker 1: an end to the chaos. But this is a picture 201 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:46,960 Speaker 1: of a God who forgives, and that language is revolutionary 202 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:50,920 Speaker 1: in terms of this time and place in the world. 203 00:13:52,200 --> 00:13:55,880 Speaker 1: And when he talks about in verse four, we will 204 00:13:55,920 --> 00:13:59,120 Speaker 1: be satisfied with the goodness of your house, your holy temple, 205 00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:05,720 Speaker 1: so temple language usually pertained to the Hebrew people. And 206 00:14:05,800 --> 00:14:10,320 Speaker 1: yet it talks before that about all men come to you, 207 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:14,400 Speaker 1: which is a little bit different than some of the 208 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:16,600 Speaker 1: language that would have been used at that point. This 209 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:22,240 Speaker 1: is almost again flying in the face of territorial principalities. 210 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:27,040 Speaker 1: It's saying, You're the God of everything and everyone and everywhere. 211 00:14:27,440 --> 00:14:29,880 Speaker 1: Blessed is the one that you choose and bring near 212 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:31,960 Speaker 1: to you to dwell in your courts, which I'm guessing 213 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:34,960 Speaker 1: they're talking about themselves as people of God. But I 214 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:38,440 Speaker 1: think what David is saying here is both temporal and 215 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:44,000 Speaker 1: also prophetic. Of Yes, this God transcends the boundaries of 216 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:47,920 Speaker 1: the principalities and rulers that we're fighting against in the 217 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:54,160 Speaker 1: spiritual realm. But he also in the future will extend 218 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 1: his goodness beyond that nation of Israel, beyond the Hebrew 219 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:02,480 Speaker 1: people into a family, because of what Jesus did on 220 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:06,480 Speaker 1: the cross. And when he goes down into verses five 221 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:10,360 Speaker 1: through eight, he sort of further sticks it to Bail. 222 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:13,320 Speaker 1: He says, you are the trust of all the ends 223 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:16,880 Speaker 1: of the earth and the farthest sea. You establish mountains 224 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:19,720 Speaker 1: by your strength. So he is the strong god of 225 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:22,800 Speaker 1: the earth, being girded with might, who stills the roaring 226 00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:24,320 Speaker 1: of the seas, the roaring of the waves, and the 227 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 1: tumult of the peoples. That's in the face of what 228 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:30,680 Speaker 1: Bail is supposed to have done, and he's saying, nope, 229 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:33,720 Speaker 1: he still establishes the mountains. He stills the chaos of 230 00:15:33,800 --> 00:15:38,200 Speaker 1: the waters. Language that people would immediately associate with Bail. 231 00:15:38,760 --> 00:15:41,400 Speaker 1: And they who dwell to the ends of the earth 232 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:44,000 Speaker 1: stand in awe of your signs, which reminds me of 233 00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:47,800 Speaker 1: the heavens. Declare the glory of God the firmament, proclaims 234 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:51,160 Speaker 1: his handiwork. There is no speech, no language. Where their 235 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:53,240 Speaker 1: voice is not heard, their voice goes out to all 236 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:55,160 Speaker 1: the earth and their words to the end of the world. 237 00:15:55,600 --> 00:16:00,840 Speaker 1: It's like his creation, his magnificence stands in and of 238 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:05,320 Speaker 1: itself as a symbol, as a sign, as a testimony 239 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:09,800 Speaker 1: that he is the God of all gods. And then 240 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:12,920 Speaker 1: toward the end it talks a lot about water and 241 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:16,160 Speaker 1: rain and showers and growth. And you have crowned the 242 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:18,360 Speaker 1: year with your bounty, or even circled the year with 243 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:24,160 Speaker 1: your bounty full circle. And this is just another picture 244 00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 1: of you know, the meadows are clothed with flocks, the 245 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:29,240 Speaker 1: valleys covered with grain. They shout for joy, and they 246 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:34,680 Speaker 1: sing creation itself, singing the praises of God, bearing testimony 247 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:37,960 Speaker 1: to his existence and to his goodness and his faithfulness. 248 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:41,480 Speaker 1: So it's like, Okay, as we your people sing, so 249 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:46,480 Speaker 1: are the lands and the flocks, and the harvest and 250 00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:50,400 Speaker 1: the rocks even crying out, praising you for who you 251 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:54,720 Speaker 1: are and bearing testimony that you are God. So I 252 00:16:54,760 --> 00:16:57,680 Speaker 1: love this. This might be one of my all time favorites. 253 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:01,320 Speaker 1: I might say that every week, But honestly, this both 254 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:04,160 Speaker 1: the psalm itself, how beautiful it is and what it says, 255 00:17:04,320 --> 00:17:08,760 Speaker 1: But this backdrop, I love it. The backdrop of sticking 256 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:12,600 Speaker 1: it to the false gods, the pagan gods, and saying, 257 00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:18,679 Speaker 1: before all of these principalities, we declare, you are God, 258 00:17:19,200 --> 00:17:26,199 Speaker 1: and I love that. Let's pray, Father, God, you are God. 259 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:28,960 Speaker 1: You're the King of kings and the Lord of lords. 260 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:34,199 Speaker 1: There's no God before you besides you. In all of creation. 261 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:38,040 Speaker 1: You are the author of all of it. And we 262 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:45,359 Speaker 1: stand against anything that would declare otherwise. We demolish arguments 263 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:48,439 Speaker 1: and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge 264 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:51,280 Speaker 1: of God, and we take every thought captive and make 265 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:54,800 Speaker 1: it obedient to Christ. Let that be true of us today. Lord, 266 00:17:56,080 --> 00:17:58,560 Speaker 1: we just pray that where we have blind spots, where 267 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:01,280 Speaker 1: we have blinders, where the enemy has put a veil 268 00:18:01,359 --> 00:18:04,480 Speaker 1: of deception over our spiritual eyes, that you would lift 269 00:18:04,520 --> 00:18:07,840 Speaker 1: it in Jesus name. That where there are strongholds and 270 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:12,160 Speaker 1: chains and bondage, that they would be broken in Jesus name, 271 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:16,879 Speaker 1: And that we would see clearly that your goodness is 272 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:22,080 Speaker 1: so far beyond anything in this world, that it is 273 00:18:22,119 --> 00:18:28,480 Speaker 1: so far more rewarding and good and fulfilling than anything 274 00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:31,959 Speaker 1: any vice, any comfort we could turn to in this world. 275 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:35,639 Speaker 1: And we just pray that truth would prevail. Lord, that 276 00:18:35,720 --> 00:18:38,240 Speaker 1: your name would go out into all the earth as 277 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:41,280 Speaker 1: the King of kings and Lord of Lords, that just 278 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:45,879 Speaker 1: by our lives the way we live them, that we 279 00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:52,200 Speaker 1: would bear testimony that you are God in Jesus Name. Amen. 280 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:57,920 Speaker 1: We'd like to take just a quick second to thank 281 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:00,439 Speaker 1: the team at Life Audio for their partnership with us 282 00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:03,679 Speaker 1: on the podcast. If you go to lifeaudio dot com, 283 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:06,240 Speaker 1: you will find dozens of other faith centered podcasts in 284 00:19:06,280 --> 00:19:10,160 Speaker 1: their network. They've got shows about prayer, Bible study, parenting, 285 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:17,400 Speaker 1: and so much more. That's life audio dot com.