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At Sandals Church, our vision is to be real with ourselves, God and others. This channel features sermons and teaching from Pastor Matt Brown and other members of the Sandals Church preaching team. You can find sermon notes, videos and more content at http://sandalschurch.com/watch
As we continue reading through the Psalms today, we will be reading Psalm 79. Oh God, pagan nations have conquered your land, your special possession. They have defiled your holy temple and made Jerusalem a heap of ruins. They have left the bodies of your servants as food for the birds of heaven. The flesh of your godly ones has become food for the wild animals.
Morgan Teruel:Blood has flowed like water all around Jerusalem. No one is left to bury the dead. We are mocked by your neighbors and an object of scorn and derision to those around us. Oh Lord, how long will you be angry with us forever? How long will your jealousy burn like fire?
Morgan Teruel:Pour out your wrath on the nations that refuse to acknowledge you on kingdoms that do not call upon your name for they have devoured your people Israel making the land a desolate wilderness. Do not hold us guilty for the sins of our ancestors. Let your compassion quickly meet our needs for we are on the brink of despair. Help us, oh God of our salvation. Help us for the glory of your name.
Morgan Teruel:Save us and forgive our sins for the honor of your name. Why should pagan nations be allowed to scoff asking where's their God? Show us your vengeance against the nations for they have spilled the blood of your servants. Listen to the moaning of the prisoners, demonstrate your great power by saving those condemned to die. Oh Lord, pay back our neighbors seven times for the scorn they have hurled at you.
Morgan Teruel:Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture will thank you forever and ever praising your greatness from generation to generation. I think this entire Psalm as we reflect on the entirety of Psalm 79 shows us a picture of confession, of asking for forgiveness, and then of pledging to change our ways into worship. I think also when we look at verses eight, nine and ten, do not hold us guilty for the sins of our ancestors, let your compassion quickly meet our needs. We are on the brink of despair. There's such a desire for relief in the Psalm.
Morgan Teruel:And then nine and ten, it seems like there's a desire for God's honor to be seen in the world. There's a desire for God's reputation to be righted because people have gone against him. And I think that that's really akin to experiences that we can have. Like, have we ever felt like we're on the brink of despair? I know that I have.
Morgan Teruel:Have we ever needed relief from God and needed in order to even get to that point of asking to confess, to ask for forgiveness and then to pledge our own faithfulness towards him? How much closer is it that we then feel to him when we do that? So I'm just remembering that pattern today of of looking kind of self examining what we need to do in order to speak with God and feel his presence. His presence never leaves us, but our awareness of his presence can change. And so as we go about our day, would you confess and bring forth any situation that you need to ask for forgiveness from and then pledge a faithfulness to him because as we've seen in in these verses, we desire for relief, when we're on the brink of despair, God does come through and he will bring us through that circumstance.
Morgan Teruel:So let's pray. Lord, as we go about our day today, if anyone that's listening or is watching this is in need of relief, God, would you meet them there? Would you incline them to confess anything that they've withheld from you? Would you incline them to have the humility to ask for forgiveness? Would you empower them to be vulnerable?
Morgan Teruel:That ultimately, Lord, they would be free from anything that's weighing on them and that they would ultimately experience a greater tangible presence from you. God, pledge our faithfulness to you and we pledge that we wanna keep worshiping you forever. Lord, would you meet us in this place today? Amen.