for the coming week are as follows. Pastor will preach here next Lord's Day at 10.30 and two o'clock. Also on Thursday evening at seven o'clock, there'll be a prayer meeting here on Tuesday evening at seven o'clock.

Let us commence our services today by singing together hymn 952. The tune is Arizona.

284. Beloved saviour, faithful friend, the joy of all thy blood-bought train, in mercy to our aid descend, or else we worship thee in vain.

Hymn 952, tune Arizona, 284.

Let us read together from the Holy Word of God in the Book of Psalms. Reading

Psalms 28, 29 and 30. Psalms 28, 29 and 30. Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my rock, be not silent to me, lest if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit. Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy Holy Oracle, draw me not away with the wicked and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts. Give them according to their deeds and according to the wickedness of their endeavours. Give them after the work of their hands, render to them their dessert, because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands. He shall destroy them and not build them up.

Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trusteth in him, and I am helped. Therefore, my heart greatly rejoiceth, and with my song will I praise him. The Lord is their strength and he is the saving strength of his anointed. Save thy people and bless thine inheritance. Feed them also and lift them up forever.

Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty. Give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name and worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. The voice of the Lord is upon the waters. The God of glory thundereth. The Lord is upon many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful. The voice of the Lord is full of majesty. The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars. Yea, the Lord breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. He maketh them also to skip like a calf. Lebanon's Orion, like a young unicorn. The voice of the Lord divided the flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shaketh the wilderness. The Lord shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord maketh the hinds to carve and discovereth the forest. And in his temple does everyone speak of his glory.

The Lord sitteth upon the flood. Yea, the Lord sitteth king forever. The Lord will give strength unto his people. The Lord will bless his people with peace.

I will extol thee, O Lord, for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me, O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave, thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. For his anger endureth but a moment, in his favour is life. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. Lord, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong. Thou did hide thy face, and I was troubled. I cried to thee, O Lord, and unto the Lord I made supplication. What profit is there in my blood when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? Shall it declare thy truth? Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me. Lord, be thou my helper.

Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing. Thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise to thee and not be silent. O Lord, my God, I will give thanks unto thee forever.

May the Lord bless the reading of his own precious word and grant unto us a spirit of real prayer. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which is and art and art to come, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, we bow before thy glorious majesty. Thou art the one and only true God, the creator of the heavens and the earth, and there is no God beside thee.

And thou hast said, O Lord, unto poor sinful man, look unto me, all ye ends of the earth, and be ye saved, for I am God and there is none else. There is no God beside me.

Gracious God, we pray for grace to worship thee this day. We pray for grace to confess our sins, for we all have sinned and come short of thy glory. We leave undone things that we ought to do, and we do things that we ought not to do. And we find a law within our members that when we would do good, then evil is present with us.

And we desire to come in confession of our many shortcomings, of our many sins and iniquities. And we pray, most gracious Lord, that thou would continually teach us by thy blessed spirit. O most blessed spirit of truth, we pray, for thy heavenly power, for thy divine enlightening. We pray to be convinced of our sin, as only thou canst. And we pray to be led unto Jesus Christ, the only saviour of sinners.

As we've sung together in our opening hymn, beloved saviour, faithful friend, the joy of all thy blood brought train, we come to thee, most gracious God, than as poor, needy, helpless sinners. No help in self I find, yet oft have sought it well. The native treasure of my mind is sin and death and hell.

For we do pray to be washed in the precious blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son. We pray that we may feel the power of that precious blood taking away all iniquity, delivering us from all law charges, delivering us from all our guilt and sin and iniquity, and bringing us into the glorious liberty of the people of God. Oh, that we might feel and know the power of that precious blood.

Dear dying Lamb, thy precious blood, shall never lose its power, till all the ransomed Church of God be saved to sin no more, we thank thee for that precious blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, that cleanseth us from all sin. We pray that thou wouldst graciously grant that we may be favoured with those divine drawings of our Heavenly Father, even today as we gather round thy Word, to be drawn unto Jesus Christ. And as thy word instructs us, none come except the Father draw. Oh, to know those drawings of our heavenly Father, and the sacred things of Jesus Christ revealed unto us. Blessed Spirit, we pray that thou wouldst take of the things of Jesus and reveal them unto us, that thou wouldst testify of Christ the Lamb, testify of his power to save, testify of his everlasting love, testify of his eternal power and Godhead. Oh, do hear us, Lord, we humbly beseech thee, and grant that we may worship thee in spirit and in truth.

Look upon us, Lord, as a church and as a congregation, from the youngest to the eldest. We lovingly commend each one to thee, and to the word of thy grace which is able to build them up and to grant them an inheritance among them that are sanctified. We would earnestly petition thee for the prodigals that have wandered away and pray that we may see thy almighty arm made bare and that those prodigals may be caused to be in want and to return. Lord, there is nothing too hard for thee. Oh, we pray that thou would let thy work appear unto thy servants and thy glory unto their children.

Remember our brethren, the deacons, who give grace, wisdom, and help in all matters. Remember our dear brother and sister in Holland and bless them there and be with them there. And as they meet with us, Online, we pray that thou would graciously bless their souls, and that they may feel one with us, even though they are so far away.

And, O Lord, we pray that thou, in thy precious mercy, would remember all in affliction and trouble and trial and perplexity and sorrow and sadness. Lord, undertake for each one, make the crooked things straight, and the rough place is plain. O Lord, we do beseech thee.

We think of the language of the dear psalmist that we've read this morning. Be not silent unto me, O God, lest if thou be silent unto me I become like them that go down into the pit. We pray that we may hear thy voice, that we may see thy countenance, that we may truly worship in thy holy hill of Zion, that we may feel the love of our Heavenly Father and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Ghost as we gather together around thy precious word. May thy word be a living word.

Remember the little ones and the children and richly bless them. Give them the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom in their young and tender days. Remember each one of our young friends graciously bless them, teach them thy ways. Grant the fulfilling of that wonderful promise. Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth.

Lord, may the power that brings salvation be exerted in the word. Lord, we do pray for our young friends in all the life's journey. that thou wouldst help them and guide them and direct them, and above all, bless them with that rich grace that is in Christ Jesus. And, O Lord, we do pray that thou wouldst guide and direct them in all the matters of providence.

There are those among us, O Lord, that would seek a partner in life's journey, and we pray that thou wouldst grant that rich blessing. Lord, we ever remember that Thou art that great God that didst bring a Ruth unto Boaz, and a Rebekah unto Isaac, and we pray that thou wouldst so work among us here, we do humbly beseech thee. A generation shall be raised up to call thee the Redeemer blessed, and thou hast said in thy word, I the Lord will hasten it in his time. Lord, we do pray that thou wouldst remember all in the midst of the journey of life, especially parents bringing up children, give them wisdom, guidance, and direction. And Lord, remember we do beseech the families as they gather for worship. Lord, and each one that is in the midst of the journey of life, undertake for each one, stretch out thy almighty arm and graciously call them by divine grace. Bring them to the feet of Jesus as poor needy sinners.

Lord, let thy work appear unto thy servants and thy glory unto thy children. Graciously remember those of us that are now in the evening time of life's journey and guide and direct us safely unto thy heavenly kingdom. Prepare us for that great day when heart and flesh shall fail and we shall soar through tracks unknown and see thee on thy judgment throne.

Lord, we do pray that thou, in thy great mercy, would remember this village and the surrounding villages and hamlets. Grant that we may see the wonderful work of thy spirit the pulling down of the strongholds of Satan, the setting up of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus in the hearts of sinners. Lord, thou art able to do abundantly more than we can even ask or think. Let thy work appear. Let thy power be known. Bring our sons from far and our daughters from the ends of the earth and grant that they may come from the north and from the south and from the east and from the west.

O Lord of hosts, O God of Israel, O Thou that dwellest between the cherubim, shine forth. Let Thy hand be upon the man of Thy right hand, the Son of Man, whom Thou madest strong for Thyself. Remember all Thy servants as they labour in word and doctrine today. Set them free, set them at liberty. Graciously shine on the little hills of Zion. And instead of a declension, may we see a building up. Instead of a falling away, Lord, may we see a restoring, a renewing. Hear us, O Lord. We humbly beseech thee for thy great name's sake.

Lord, remember all the little hills of Zion up and down our nation. Wherever thy people gather, wherever thy servants stand, Bless the word. May the word of the Lord have free course. May thy name be honoured and glorified. May the Lord Jesus be lifted high upon the gospel pole, and may poor sinners look and live. We do humbly beseech thee.

We pray, most gracious God, that thou wouldst remember our nation. We live in very solemn days when iniquity abounds on every hand. We behold unrighteousness and evil and the terrible powers of Antichrist. But we pray that thou wouldst arise, that thou wouldst make bare thine holy arm, that thou wouldst send out thy light and thy truth. That thou wouldst give wisdom to our leaders and guidance and direction in all matters. That thou wouldst remember our king and the royal household with that rich grace that is in Christ Jesus. Bless them with light and understanding in thy word, we do humbly beseech thee.

O Lord, we do pray that thou in thy great mercy would remember those that labor in word and doctrine upon thee in the nations of the earth we especially think of the those that go forth from among us as a group of churches. We pray for the Mombasa mission and that great work and that labor of love there in Africa. We pray that thou would bless them indeed and supply all their many returning needs and grant that fresh anointing of thy spirit upon thy servants as they labour in word and doctrine there. We pray, O Lord, that thou, in thy great mercy, remember the Savannah Education Trust and that great work that they're doing in Ghana in the Christian schools. Lord, do hear us and do grant that these things may redound to the great honour, glory of thy name, and the good of precious souls.

Remember Ian Sadler, and that great work that he is doing in so many places in the distribution of thy holy word and the exposition of it among the nations of the earth. Oh, do hear us, Lord, we humbly beseech thee. Supply all the needs of these people, Lord, we do pray thee.

Remember us now and be with us as we turn to thy holy word and fill our hearts with thankfulness We thank thee for our little house of prayer. We thank thee for the open Bible. We thank thee for the freedoms and liberties that we have to meet together around the word of God.

And we think of those that do not have these freedoms nor these liberties, and we pray for them, send them help from the sanctuary, strengthen them out of Zion. We thank thee above all for the incarnation of the son of God. our Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal word that was made flesh and dwelt among us.

All that profound mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh. We thank thee for the holy life he lived as a man here upon earth and the holy law he has fulfilled and honoured and magnified on the behalf of his people.

We thank thee for that holy precious sacrifice of Calvary where sin has been put away and divine justice has been satisfied and God and sinners are reconciled. We thank thee that he died for our sins and rose again for our justification and he now has ascended up on high and sitteth at thy right hand that we have a great high priest who is passed into the heavens, Jesus the son of God.

We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. We thank thee that in him we know the love of our heavenly Father, and through him we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Hear us, help us, guide us, direct us. We ask for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

Let us now sing together hymn number 834. The tune is Jerusalem 162.

While heavenly hosts their anthems sing,

in realms above the sky,

let worms of earth their tribute bring,

and Lord, the Lord most high.

Hymn 834, Tune Jerusalem 162.

Greatly feeling to need the Lord's gracious help and direct your attention to the Psalm 28 and we'll read verses 6 and 7 for our text. Psalm 28, verses 6 and 7.

Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications, The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trusteth in him, and I am helped. Therefore, my heart greatly rejoiceth, and with my soul will I praise him. Blessed be the Lord. You will notice in these particular Psalms, we find it in all the Psalms of course, is David, he prays unto Jehovah, you'll notice the capital letters for Lord, and when in the authorised version, when we find Lord in capital letters, it's because it's translated from the name Jehovah, the eternal the self-existent, the almighty God, the creator of the heavens and the earth, of whom the apostle says, in him we live and move and have our being.

In this great God, we live and move and have our being. And the psalmist, he says here, the Lord is my strength. and my shield, my heart trusted in Him. And we read in the prophet Malachi, I the Lord, I Jehovah, change not. Therefore, ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. this great almighty Lord Jehovah is the eternal God. It says here in the book of Psalms, from everlasting to everlasting thou art God.

And in essence, that is one of the principal meanings of the name Jehovah, the eternal, the almighty. The self-existent one. He's not dependent on anyone. From everlasting, he has been God. To everlasting, he will be God.

You see, in David, he expresses his confidence in this great God. Because he is Lord of all. Because he is King of kings. Because he is the mighty God. or as it says in scripture in several places, the Almighty, the Almighty, the only Almighty. We read in the book of the Revelation, Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. There can only be one omnipotent. There's only one God. it would defy reason to say there could be more than one omnipotent. Because if there was another omnipotent, then one becomes not omnipotent. Omnipotent means power. Omni means complete and universal. Complete and universal power. There can only be one God. As the Bible says, there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave his life a ransom for all to be testified in due time. One God, one God and father of all.

So this glorious name, Jehovah, or would the we could convey to you just a little of what it means and so that our understanding might be enlightened that we might have a realization of just how great this God is. David had a very close relationship with God and in the book of Psalms this comes out so clearly in all the Psalms how He bowed before the Lord Jehovah in holy reverence. God is holy. And the hosts in heaven, they bow before Him. And they say, holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, holy, Holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which is.

Again, this is a paraphrase of the name Jehovah, which is an art, an art to come. Which is an art, an art to come. And that is in the eternal sense of the word. He is, at present, he always has been, and he always will be. Which is an art, an art to come. and the Apostle brings it out in Hebrews chapter 13 verse 8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever that's a paraphrase of the name Jehovah it's another proof in Holy Scripture that Jesus is the eternal Son of God that is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and with the Holy Ghost.

In Holy Scripture, the Father is called Jehovah, the Son is called Jehovah, and the Holy Ghost is called Jehovah. We have that well-known word in the New Testament. Now the Lord is that Spirit. Now Jehovah is that Spirit. He's the Spirit of Jehovah. And these three, now this is a profound mystery friends, but it's a mystery that is set before us and revealed to us in God's Holy Word, and these three are one. One blessed, infinite, almighty, and eternal God. Omnipotent.

you know, in the Word of God, there's a lot revealed to us concerning the names of God. The names of God. And in those names, they are what is called proper names. What do we mean by proper names? They have a meaning. And you find often in Holy Scripture, children were named with a proper meaning. You just think of the name Jesus and the angel said to Mary thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins. The meaning, now that name Jesus which is the Greek form of it, in the Hebrew it's Joshua, Joshua. the Saviour. It's exactly the same name. And in that beginning of the word, J-O, is a reference to Jehovah. In the name of the Prophet Elijah. The J-A-H at the end of Elijah is Jehovah. He's the servant of Jehovah. He's the servant of the Eternal God. Again, in many of those Hebrew names, Jehoshaphat, the J-O at the beginning, is referring to Jehovah, to the Lord, to the Almighty God.

You know, in the Book of Exodus, in Chapter 3, the Lord reveals Himself unto the Lord's servant Moses in verse 6 it says moreover he said I am the God of thy father the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob and Moses hid his face for he was afraid to look upon God and the Lord said I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt

You know, look at this in the spiritual light of the world. Egypt is a type of the world. And the Lord's people, the Lord said in his prayer in John 17, I pray not that thou should take them out of the world, but thou should keep them in it. The Lord's people are in this world which is full of sin and full of iniquity, full of unrighteousness, full of rebellious sinners, full of all manner of evil. But the Lord has decreed that he will keep his people in the midst of this wilderness, of this world. And the Lord said, I've surely seen the affliction of my people, which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. What a beautiful revelation that is of the glorious person of our Lord Jesus Christ. I know their sorrows. The Lord knows all the sorrows of his people. Our great high priest, Jehovah Jesus, he knows the sorrows of his people. He knows the afflictions of his people. He knows what sore temptations mean, for he has felt the same. He has. He's experienced it personally when he lived here for 33 years. He was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin, for I know their sorrows.

And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of the land of that land into a good land and a large." You see, in this context here, Canaan, the land of Canaan, there's a heavenly Canaan. What the Lord is leading His people to. Let not your heart be troubled. Listen to Jehovah Jesus. Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself. That where I am, there you may be also. to be with Christ which is far better.

Now in that third chapter of Exodus it says Moses said that they wouldn't hear me and God says in verse 14 and God said unto Moses I am that I am. That is another part of the word Jehovah I am that I am. Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I am hath sent thee. The great I am, the great and the eternal God that controls all things, that sees all things, that knows all things, that understands all things. We read of the Lord Jehovah, his understanding is infinite, that means There is no measuring of his understanding. He understands everything.

My life's minutest circumstance is subject to thine eye. The Lord Jesus highlights this glorious truth and he says to his children, to his people, the very hairs of your head are numbered. Not one of them falleth without your father's leave. The very hairs of your head.

My beloved friends, this is what makes him Jehovah. He knows everything, he sees everything, he understands everything. There's nothing hid from his eyes. He's the Lord Jehovah.

You know, in the book of Exodus, chapter 6, and the Lord says to Moses, then the Lord said unto Moses, shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh, for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land. And God spake unto Moses and said unto him, I am the Lord, that is, I am Jehovah. And I appeared unto Abraham and unto Isaac and unto Jacob by the name of God Almighty, but by my name Jehovah was I not known to them.

Jehovah It's a covenant name of the eternal God And it's only those of his favorites of his chosen ones that know him as Jehovah He says in verse 4 and I have also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan land of their pilgrimage wherein they were strangers I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel.

You see, the Lord hears the groans of his people. It says in the epistle to the Romans that sometimes we come into situations, the Lord's people come into situations and troubles and trials and they can only groan. They can't express the feelings that fill their heart and overwhelm their soul at that particular time. And they can only groan. They can only groan.

You see, but he hears those groans. The Lord does. The Lord Jehovah, though He is so great and so mighty. Wherefore, say unto the children of Israel, I am the Lord. You see, I am Jehovah. And I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will bring you out of this world. I will rid you out of their bondage. I will redeem you with a stretched out arm and with great judgments.

You see, this great God, how has he redeemed his people? He sent his only begotten son, Jehovah Jesus. He sent him to redeem his people from their sins. He sent him so that he was made of a woman made under the law. Jesus was. The Son of God was made of a woman made under the law that he might redeem them that are under the law.

Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trusteth in him, and I am helped. Therefore my heart greatly rejoicing, and with my song will I praise him.

Now these, the Lord's people, whom he has covenanted to redeem and deliver, he sends the Spirit of God into their hearts, and they dwell there. The Holy Ghost dwells in the heart of every child of God.

In actual fact, friends, that is what makes a child of God. The Holy Ghost, who proceeded from the Father and the Son, enters into the heart of a poor, dead, lost, ruined, hell-deserving sinner, and he quickens their soul into life. He brings them from spiritual death into spiritual life.

I love that expression in the Romans, the spirit of life in Christ Jesus. The spirit of life, the Holy Ghost. He's the spirit of life. You have the quickened who were dead in trespasses and in sins. The Lord Jesus speaks of that divine work of the Spirit in the heart. He says, when He, the Spirit of truth, is gone, He will convince the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. That's the divine work of the Spirit in the heart. And it's when He convinces us of our sin that we begin to feel our need of salvation.

This is the work of the Lord Jehovah. This is the work of the Lord Jehovah. In my mind it just goes to the discourse of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in John's Gospel and chapter 5 and the Lord Jesus Christ there, he speaks of the work of the Father and we read in verse 20 of John 5. For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth. And he will show him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickneth them, even so the Son quickneth whom he will. For the Father judgeth no man. You see, he quickens by the Holy Ghost, and that Holy Ghost proceedeth forth from the Father and the Son, and that gives us that light here.

For the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickneth them, even so the Son quickneth whom he will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son, that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.

My beloved friends, the great question here for each one of us, have you passed from death unto life? I always think of those words in Revelation chapter 20, blessed and holy is he have part in the first resurrection. On such, the second death has no power. The first resurrection is the new birth, is to be quickened by the Holy Ghost, is to be raised from spiritual death into spiritual life. Have you, have I, been raised from spiritual death into spiritual life?

And it's, as Jesus says here, verily, verily, verse 24, verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life. He that hath begun a good work in you shall perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ. It's everlasting life. I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly. And we read of Jesus Christ, he that hath the Son hath life, he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself, and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of Man, as God manifest in the flesh. Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the grave shall hear his voice and shall come forth. They that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation.

You see, my beloved friends, there's going to be a resurrection. We're all going to die, but we shall all be raised again when Jesus comes in power and great glory. The very first act of Jesus coming in power and great glory he will send his angels to the four corners of the earth and he will gather his elect unto himself. That's the very first act of Jesus Christ when he comes in power and in great glory to judge the world in righteousness. Oh my beloved friends, are you, am I prepared for that great day. I love that prayer in that lovely hymn that Mr. Wood so often used to quote.

Now, my God, prepare my soul for that great day and wash me in thy precious blood. Take all my sins away. Blessed be the Lord because he hath heard the voice of my supplications.

Every one of the Lord's people is a praying soul. One of the clear evidences given in Holy Scripture of a true believer is they pray. We read of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus. And what do we read? Behold, he prayeth. Behold, he prayeth.

There is of course dead prayers and there are living prayers. And you may say, what do you mean dead prayers and living prayers? Well, the Lord Jesus gives us that illustration in his teachings of two men went up onto the temple to pray. The one a Pharisee and the other a publican. The publicans were notorious sinners and despised by everybody. The Pharisees were the most religious people of their day. And the Lord Jesus says, the Pharisee, he bowed his head and he did it before all men. I thank God that I'm not as other men are, even as this publican. He was full of pride, full of self-conceit. What does Christ say? It's a very solemn word he says concerning the Pharisee. He praying with himself. He thought he was praying to God. praying with himself, there was no prayer there.

But then we read of the poor publican, he could not so much as lift his eyes up onto heaven, but he smote upon his breast saying, God, be merciful to me a sinner. And Jesus said, this man went down justified rather than the other, the poor sinner. Christ said, I come not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. Do we know that we're sinners? Do we feel that we're sinners? You see, in our text, it says here, blessed be the Lord, because you heard the voice of my supplications. A supplication is when we plead with the God of heaven. We wrestle like Jacob did. Shall we plead with the God of heaven? How many here in this chapel this morning have come and that is at the very root of your cry, God be merciful to me, a sinner. What a mercy if you know that and feel that.

The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trusteth in him and I am helped therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth and with my song will I praise him.

You know in the my mind and yesterday was very much drawn to the Isaiah chapter 26 Isaiah chapter 26 and it's particularly verse 4 that I was very much drawn to. Trust ye in the Lord forever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. Everlasting strength. Now I understand that that verse in the original Hebrew has J-A-H, Jah, and it has it three times, Jah, Jah, Jah. as a reference to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, the one almighty and eternal God.

And we read in the context here, in that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah. We have a strong city. Salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. This strong city is Mount Zion. The walls and bulwarks is the electing love of the Father, the redeeming love of the Son and the sanctifying love of the Holy Ghost. Salvation will God appoint for bulwark, walls and bulwarks. The Lord's people are surrounded with His everlasting mercy and love and grace and power. Open ye the gates that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in. They will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord that is Jehovah forever. For in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. Everlasting strength.

We read in another place in scripture, their strength is to sit still. everlasting strength. You see my beloved friends, when the Lord works in the heart of a poor needy sinner, when he shows them their great need and he shows them their great danger of eternal damnation and they are brought by the inward teaching of the Spirit to look to Jesus Christ

It's a lovely word, isn't it, in Isaiah. Look unto me, all ye ends of the earth. Who's speaking? Christ. Christ. Look unto me, all ye ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is none else. There is no God beside me. Oh, that the Lord would enable us so to do.

Trust ye in the Lord forever, for in the Lord Jehovah is Everlasting strength. Everlasting strength. Strength that will carry you through life, through all the storms of life, through all the troubles of life, through all the afflictions in life's journey, through all the perplexities, all the sorrows, all the griefs, all the losses, this eternal love, this eternal grace, This eternal power will carry you right through life's journey. And it's all condensed in that one little word.

He that hath begun a good work in you shall perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ. I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Why? Because I'm the Lord Jehovah. I'm the eternal God. Trust ye in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. He's the strength of his people. He's the strength of his people. He's the wisdom of his people. And he gives his people everything they stand in need of.

He finds them lost and ruined, wretched and undone, just like that wretched infant that we read of in the the prophet Ezekiel, left in the open field to die. And when I passed by, I bid thee live. That's exactly what happened with a poor, lost, ruined sinner. When I passed by there, I bid thee live, for thy time was a time of love, the everlasting love of God in Jesus Christ, who saves the most violent and the most wretched of sinners.

What love, what power, what grace? How does He save them? He sent His Son. God so loved the world, that is God the Father, so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should be saved. The only begotten Son. Whosoever believeth in Him. Jehovah Jesus has power to save, has power to deliver, He does.

And he himself came to this world and was made of a woman, made under the law that he might redeem them that are under the law. This glorious person of Jesus Christ is God and man in one. And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us. And we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Grace is the eternal favor of God. By grace are ye saved, that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. It's all of grace, it's the gift of God. You see, what we have here in our text, see the Lord is my strength and my shield. What is it that shields the child of God? The love of Christ. the love of God in Christ, the precious blood of Christ that takes away all our sin, the glorious everlasting robe of the righteousness of Christ that clothes us to stand in the presence of almighty God. You are complete in him, we are accepted in the beloved. And every one of these poor sinners brought to feel and know their lost and wretched state and brought to see that Jesus is the way to God, Jesus is the way to bliss. I am the way, said Jesus. I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but by me. He welcomes poor, lost, ruined, wretched sins. He says, come unto me, all ye that labour. and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, take my yoke upon you."

What does it mean, take my yoke upon you? Be united to Christ. This is what the Spirit of God does. Christ said in his teachings, he will take of the things of Jesus, he will reveal them unto you. When the Blessed Spirit does that, Christ is made precious. The poor, lost, ruined sinner, A door of hope is open wide in Jesus' bleeding hands and side. And on that door of hope, the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanseth us from all sin. And when you are brought to feel your utter nakedness and wretchedness and sinfulness, and then when we're brought to see that glorious and we're clothed upon with that glorious everlasting robe of the righteousness of Jehovah Jesus, ye are complete in Him, we are accepted in the Beloved.

Blessed be the Lord, because ye have heard the voice of my supplications. The Lord is my strength and my shield, my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped therefore My heart greatly rejoiced, and with my song will I praise him.

Just think of Abraham on Mount Moriah, where the Lord sent Abraham to Mount Moriah. He said, take thy son, thine only son, and offer him as a sacrifice. Isaac, that precious son that he'd waited so many years for, take thy son, thine only son, and offer him as a sacrifice. And he took and on the way there, walking there, and Isaac said to his father, here is the fire, here is the wood, where is the sacrifice? Where is the lamb for a burnt offering? What a question it was, wasn't it? What did Abraham answer? God will provide. God will provide.

And there, right at the last moment, as it were, when he lifted his knife to slay his son Isaac, and the Lord said, Abraham, Abraham, do the lad no harm. And he turned, and there was a ram caught in a thicket. And Isaac was let go and released and the ram was taken and laid on the altar and slain. Isaac is a type of the church, bound by the holy law of God. The ram is a type of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Isaac was released, the church is released. Why? Because Jesus was sacrificed. Because his blood was shed. That's why. And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-Jireh. The Lord will provide. The Lord will provide. Jehovah-Jireh. Oh, what a beautiful name, isn't it? And the ram caught in the thicket.

When the Lord's servant Gideon was given that great task and the Midianites were so superior and so greatly outnumbered the children of Israel and the Lord sent Gideon. And he built an altar when the Lord delivered him and he called the name of that altar Jehovah Shalom, the Lord send peace. peace by his cross as Jesus made. The church's ever-living head, the Lord, send peace. Jehovah shalom, the Lord send peace.

When Moses, when they were into the wilderness and the Amalekites were fighting against them and we read that Moses, he lifted up his hands and whenever his hands came down the Amalekites prevailed and whenever the and Aaron and her held up his arms so he lifted up his arms in prayer to the Lord Jehovah and then we read that Aaron and her sat in front of him and he put his arms on their shoulders and the battle prevailed and the Lord prevailed against the Amalekites their great enemies and when we read this And Moses built an altar there. And he called the name of that place Jehovah-Nissi. The Lord, our banner. Jehovah, our banner. The Lord had given a banner to them that fear him. What is that banner? Christ, the precious blood, the glorious righteousness, the eternal person of our Lord Jesus Christ, Jehovah-Nissi. The Lord, our banner. That's what Christ is to his people.

Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. The Lord is my strength and my shield, my heart trusted in him, and I am helped, therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth, and with my song will I praise him. Jesus has fulfilled and honoured and magnified the holy law of God that breathes curses against all that break its holy commandments. Jesus on the behalf of each one of his children has fulfilled that law and brought in everlasting righteousness. Jesus has offered a perfect, holy, spotless sacrifice on the cross of Calvary and shed his precious blood to deliver the church from sin and Satan's power and to take them to eternal glory to be forever with the Lord.

Oh that the Lord would grant that these precious truths. Blessed be the Lord because he heard the voice of my supplications. The Lord is my strength and my shield, my heart trusteth in him. and I am held therefore my heart greatly rejoicing and with my song will I praise him. May the Lord add his blessing.

Let us now sing together hymn number 854. The tune is Taunton 607. Jesus, Lord of life and peace, to Thee we lift our voice. Teach us at Thy holiness to tremble and rejoice. Sweet and terrible is Thy word. Thou and Thy word are both the same. Holy, holy, holy Lord, we love Thy holy name.

Hymn 854, tune Taunton, 607.

Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, the sacred fellowship of the Holy Spirit, rest and abide with us each, both now and for evermore. Amen.