A Refuge for Repentant Rebels - Psalms 2

2:24Psalm 2 has been called a royal psalm, a coronation psalm that speaks of the anointed king of Israel and ultimately that latter king who would come in David's promised line, it's been called a messianic psalm. But as one author suggests in his monograph titled The Gateway to the Psalter, these two psalms should be read together. They should be read as the two-chapter introduction that opens you up to the entire collection of 150 praises. And when they are read together, You see this intended coherent reading of the pair that linked them as this double-door entry to all of the praises. Psalms 1 and 2, this author says, were together intended as prophecy in the ultimate sense. You see, when you understand Psalm 1 telling us of the choice that is to be made, Psalm 2 then tells you of the consequences. These Psalms then open up for us the rest of the Psalter and tell us how to read them both historically, both in terms of Israel's worship, but ultimately prophetically announcing either the positive or negative fate of those who would either accept or reject the coming Messiah. Psalm 1 opens with the word, blessed. How blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers. But Psalm 2 concludes with the same word, blessed, and says that all those who take refuge in him are blessed.

4:24Friends, this is why the Psalter, this collection of 150 praises, Can be such an encouragement to God's people in any age. Look, they were sung first in Hebrew, but they were later translated into Greek. They have been sung in Latin, in Arabic, in English, and a myriad of other languages. And they speak to all the peoples of the earth, telling them that should they recognize God's king, they too can be blessed. Let's take a look at Psalm 2 together. It begins asking a question: Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us. He who sits in the heavens laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. Then he will speak to them in his anger and terrify them in his fury, saying, But as for me, I have installed my king upon Zion, my holy mountain. I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord. He said to me, You are my son. Today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will surely give the nations as your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as your possession.

6:00You shall break them with a rod of iron. You shall shatter them like earthenware. Now, therefore, O kings, show discernment. Take warning, O judges of the earth. Worship the Lord with reverence and rejoice with trembling. Do homage to the Son, that he may not become angry and you perish in the way, for his wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in him. Let's pray. Father, as we open your word today, we ask that you would help us to also open our hearts and minds to all that your word would instruct us, that we would receive the truth of scripture, that we would rejoice over the claims of scripture, that we would be reminded of the beauty of your truth. We ask that as we would open the scriptures, you would help us to be so prepared, so willing to submit our lives to your rule. We ask that you would help us to be among those who praise you today, even at the sound of your word, that we would be those who look forward to the coming of your Messiah, that we so anticipate. His righteous rule. And we thank you in advance for how you, through your Spirit, will use your word to both challenge us, to encourage us, to instruct us in all that can bring you honor and glory. And we give you thanks in the name of the Messiah whom you've sent. Amen.

7:55Psalm chapter 2 shows the futility of conspiracy against the Lord in four parts. In fact, in these 12 verses, we see four three-verse units. And each unit speaks, for instance, in verses one through three of the rebellion of earthly kings, in verses four through six of the wrath of the heavenly king, in verses seven through nine of the rod of Zion's king, and finally in verses 10 through 12 of the refuge for repentant kings. Before we get to that word of offer of God's refuge, that word of hope for those who repent, can we hear the word of rebellion that begins this psalm? It's as though these earthly kings are shaking their puny fists.

9:00In the face of the creator of heaven and earth, the psalmist asks incredulously, how can it even be? Why are the nations in an uproar and the peoples devising a vain thing? How can this possibly even be a thought that they would entertain for even just a moment? Don't they know who they are? This incredulous inquiry speaks about the nations, plural, in a rage. If ever the nations are united, they are united in rebellion. They rage against God.

9:51This speaks of their actions. They are united in an outright revolt, a riot dishonoring his authority. This is not mere passive awareness that there is a God and He has spoken authoritatively from heaven and they would prefer not. No, they are outraged, they are insistent. Their actions demonstrate their desire to throw off his bonds, as we'll see in a moment. Further, the peoples, notice how it's plural. And it's plural here in order to see that it's all the various people groups.

10:39This word is used in the plural in our English Bibles again in the book of Revelation to speak of that united effort of rebellion against God and yet his international and universal offer of salvation to all the peoples who are invited to praise him. Psalm 67 speaks of this in Israel's famous missionary psalm. Let all the peoples praise him. Not just the Jewish nation, not just the children of Israel, but let all the peoples. Speaking of the Gentile world in their pagan opposition to the God of Israel, the psalmist is looking forward to one day when all the peoples are invited to bow before his throne, much like the famous Christ hymn of Philippians chapter 2, when every knee would bow and every tongue confess. All peoples one day will have to recognize God's righteous rule, but here the nations are united in opposition. You see, it is an intentional insurrection against the Lord.

12:00Against his anointed, we're told in verse 2. It is not simply disrespecting God, ignoring God. It is an act of disobedience. Romans 1:18 would remind us that the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness and ungodliness of men who suppress the truth of God in unrighteousness. They're holding down what could be known. They're suppressing the fact that the heavens are declaring the glory of God and the earth is showing forth his handiwork. It's everywhere to be seen. Even in natural revelation, God is glorified. But mankind often suppresses what can be known about God.

12:54This intentional insurrection is not only about God the Father, the creator of heavens, heaven, and earth, but against his son, his anointed Messiah, the one revealed in the New Testament as the Christ. This coronation psalm, this royal psalm, is in some way speaking about the Davidic line and the Davidic king. Later, we'll see the Davidic capital in Zion. But all of those kings... Pointed toward the ultimate king who would be revealed as the king of kings and the lord of lords, the one before whom all must one day bow. This intentional insurrection is against the Lord. It's against his promised Messiah, his anointed one.

13:52And further in verse 3, we learn of their evil uprising, where they say words like these: Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us. These fetters or cords, these restraints that are being rejected, the bonds that are being disbelieved, the boundaries which are being resisted, the cords of God's commandments which are being not only doubted but disobeyed. This occurs in every instance when we as human beings hear the word of the Lord and then intentionally reject.

14:42You see, these kings may have even come into contact with the commandments of God. Thou shalt not. But you know what happens so often when we sense. Some individual sense of power, authority, independence. Perhaps we're tempted to say, No one will tell me what to do. God says, Thou shalt not steal. And we, in our minds, could think, well, I will have what I want, and I will have it any way I want to get it. When God says, thou shalt not commit adultery, we say, yes, we will. We will not be bound by the cords of what is proper and right. We will resist, we will reject, we will throw off God's boundaries, and the nations often unite over such immorality. Today, we're being told that men can have babies, that we should trust that kind of science that is gender-confused, so that the loving thing to say is that love is love.

16:31That wrong is right, that children who are confused about issues of gender should not hear from their parents, but should hear from a riotous mob who would mutilate their flesh and permanently keep them in a terrible state of confusion. I really think that one day this generation, so bent on its own independence from God's fetters, restraints, bonds, and cords, may one day look back at the adults of this era and ask them incredulously, why did you allow this to happen?

17:20You see, the nations are often united in rebelling against God and his created order, who said about the various species that each was to reproduce after its own kind, who said about each species that they were male and female, who is the sovereign Lord over human sexuality, who is the sovereign over the thoughts and intents of our heart. But people want to rebel. Want to reject divine restraints. The kings shake their fists. But you know, you don't have to be a king to rebel against God.

18:16It can be done by little people like us who are so foolish in our misguided sense of our own importance, of our own decision-making ability, that instead of submitting to the truth of God's word, would invent our own foolish paths. How sad. As these kings and their rebellion are revolting against the Lord and are in an outraged plot against him, think how insignificant these kings are. How the text will go on to say in verse 4 that the Lord sits in the heavens and laughs. He is not moved by these kings. He is not wringing his hands in heaven and saying, oh no, they're disobeying me. Think about it. Have you looked at the solar system lately? Just think for a moment. This little dot. Okay, the dot on the dot where, and then you think of a world king who's just over part of a portion of a dot on a. A dot in a bunch of dots. Yeah, that's you. And then the rest of us, we aren't even dots. I mean, we are so teeny tiny in our insignificance, and yet the Lord in His mercy, He loves you. He cares for you, and even has numbered all the hairs on your head. He knows you.

19:53How foolish it is to rebel against Him. A better approach is seen in the testimony of the recent monarch who met her eternal reward just last month. Perhaps you've seen the book, which is to be a testimony of her Christian commitments. The book is titled The Servant, Queen, and the King She Serves. Look, should the claims in this book about her commitments be true, then she truly can be resting in the promises of Scripture. I'm reminded of yet another member of the royal family from some generations back, and that's how you often have to look among important people to find any who bow the knee. It was Selena Hastings, Countess of Huntington, 1707 to 1791, who Said, I'm thankful for the letter M.

21:03When asked why, she referenced 1 Corinthians 1, 26 that says, not many mighty, not many noble. She was so grateful that God's word did not command that there would be not any mighty, not any noble who would come to saving faith. Her late majesty, Queen Victoria, was quoted as saying, Oh, how I wish that the Lord would come in my lifetime. Why? Her chaplain asked. With quivering lip, she said, I should so love to lay my crown at his feet.

21:47Let this be the response of those of us who feel any sense of human authority, a power, dignity. All of that belongs at the feet of our Lord. Let us not be counted among the rebellious earthly kings because soon is coming the wrath of the heavenly king. We see it in verses 4 through 6. He who sits in the heavens laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. He will have them in derision, one translation says. He is mocking back at them as they have. Mocked at him.

22:33Verse 5, then he will speak to them in his anger and terrify them in his fury, saying, But as for me, I have installed my king upon Zion, my holy mountain. I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord. He said to me, You are my son. Today I have begotten you. You see, these verses speak of the wrath of the heavenly king. Here, instead of the psalmist who was speaking incredulously in verses 1 through 3, wondering how can this rebellion even be? Now God the Father is the speaker in these verses, and he's the one who says, I've installed my king in Zion. He's the one who sits in heaven, who is unmoved by this rebellion, who is not saying the words, oh no. You see, God never says, uh-oh. God never says, oh, no. God is never confused. He is never swayed. He is never uncertain. He, he, the text says, sits. He's on his throne. This should encourage you, friend, if ever you feel far from God, think about it just a moment.

24:00If ever you feel far from God, who moved? He never moves. He is always, forever on his throne, in control. No accident, no uncertainty, no fear. He's on his throne. He not only sits in the heavens, he further, verse 6, sets his king in Zion. The very reference of Zion harkens back to the Davidic covenant, where in 2 Samuel chapter 7, God promised to David that one of your descendants shall rule forever on your throne. This will be my king, my anointed ruler. He will rule eternally.

25:02Zion, by the way, is paralleled in many Psalms with the word Jerusalem. Jerusalem, until the time of David, was only hinted at in Scripture. I mean, it's never mentioned as a full-blown word in all of the Torah, the Pentateuch, the books of Moses. Yes, Abram paid tithes to Melchizedek, who was king in 70. Salaam, but not Jerusalem. It doesn't say the full-blown word. And yes, Abram takes his son Isaac to sacrifice him on Mount Moriah, which is a mountain later revealed to be in Jerusalem, the mountain where David's son Solomon is allowed to build the temple.

25:55But Jerusalem is not mentioned. It's only hinted at as the place, the place. That's how it's referred to, as the place where God would cause his name to dwell. And it was under King David that God allows David to bring the Ark of the Covenant, which is sat dormant for about 400 years in Karyat Yarim, a suburb some six to eight miles away from the Temple Mount, to bring the ark to Jerusalem. And David wants to build a temple for the Lord, a holy place where God can be worshipped, but he's not allowed. You'll remember, he was a man of war, a man of blood, and therefore he is disallowed from building the temple. But his son, remember his son Solomon? His name in Hebrew is Shlomo. What a great name, by the way, Shlomo. It sounds like a Hebrew word you already know, the word for peace.

27:00Shalom. God would bring about his peaceful rule through Solomon. And the building of the temple took place so that, sure enough, at the conclusion of Solomon's prayer, 2 Chronicles chapter 6, you have God's answer to his prayer in 2 Chronicles 7. You should read it sometime. It speaks about how, upon Solomon's prayer that the Lord would inhabit this place and cause his name to dwell there, it wasn't just a yes, it was an account of how fire came down from heaven and filled the temple.

27:41And the people bowed low and worshipped. Surely God was bringing his shalom in Jerusalem, and yet we continue to read about the Davidic dynasty, and as one commentator says, the royal robes hung lightly on the sons of David. It was as if not only does Solomon disappoint us, but each and every one of the kings in some way is not revealed to be the one who would rule forever on the throne of David. For so many of them, and there were only eight good kings in Judah out of 20, and none among the northern tribes faithfully follow the Lord. Instead, we often hear about them in the books of Chronicles. One after another, after another, with the account. And he also did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. These disappointing kings, they fail in so many ways to live up to what was one day promised among the sons of David. And yet that covenant was still valid. That promise was still on God's plan. It had not changed. This Davidic covenant promised that one day there would be an ultimate king that would be anointed.

29:10He would have an ultimate one-day capital in Jerusalem, the city of peace. This Davidic king is still the hope when we open the pages of the New Testament and read from Matthew chapter 1, verse 1, about the genealogy of Jesus. I remember the first time I gave a copy of the New Testament in Hebrew to an Israeli friend. She was quite familiar with her own Hebrew scriptures, had a bachelor's degree in biblical studies from Tel Aviv University. She taught Bible courses in Jewish day schools and such. And she opened the New Testament, where many people would open most books to page one, you know, right there at the beginning. And I'm thinking, oh, you know, there are other places I'd like you to read. How about look over here? I'm thinking, look over there, look over here. And she's reading chapter one. She's reading the. Genealogy of Jesus, and she turns to her husband and she said, Zevi, atayodeshi yeshu hu bendavid. Did you know that Jesus is the son of David? Like, this is important to her. She has read the Bible. She read how God had promised that one of the sons of David would rule forever. He's the ultimate anointed one. He's the Messiah. This, by the way, is also how Paul explains the gospel to which he's been set apart in Romans chapter 1 as he addresses the inhabitants of the most powerful city on earth in his day. The Roman Empire had its seat in that city in Italy. And to the Roman inhabitants, this letter is addressed, and Paul introduces himself as God's servant who is called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which, and then he goes on in one of those Pauline, long, long, long, long, multi-you know, phrased sentences.

31:04This gospel, which is concerning God's Son, who was born a descendant of David according to the flesh. This is who Jesus is. If, as someone has said, if he isn't the Jewish Messiah, he ain't anybody's Messiah. He is the one promised to Israel who would rule on the throne of his father. David, this is so much a part of the important message of the gospel that Paul says to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:8, remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel.

31:49Can I encourage you that if you don't tell this part of the story, somehow you're leaving out some really important stuff? That Jesus is the Son of David, that he is the promised Messiah, that he has come to Israel first and then to the nations. And even if we would read Acts 1:8, referencing that Davidic capital city of Jerusalem, that once the Holy Spirit comes upon you, Jesus told his disciples, You shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem and Judea and to the uttermost parts of the earth. Can I encourage you, if you'd read the book of Acts and the rest of the New Testament and the book of Revelation, you would find that that's not where the story ends at the ends of the earth. He's coming back. And when he comes, he's not coming to the ends of the earth. He's not coming to the United States. He's not coming to Europe. He's not coming to Asia. He's coming to Israel. Zechariah 14 tells us, and his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives. You know where that mountain is. It's in Jerusalem. He's coming again to Jerusalem, and from there he will rule and he will reign from his capital city. The Davidic king will rule in consequence and fulfillment of the Davidic covenant. This is so essential that you might ask yourself: if I'm not telling about Jesus who's coming back to Jerusalem, and I'm leaving out that he's the king of Israel, and that he will one day rule on the throne of his father David, am I telling the story faithfully? I mean, look, you could tell the story of Narnia and summarize it in some way, but if you leave out a lion, a witch, and a wardrobe, somehow you're not telling it the way Lewis wrote it. And friends, if you're not telling the gospel about how Jesus came to the Jewish people, he was God's promised Messiah, the anointed one, and he's coming again to Jerusalem, you're leaving out some important things that God has promised. The wrath of the heavenly king will one day be revealed, and Psalm 2 tells that it will come about in vivid form through the rod of Zion's king. You see, the son in his coronation in verse 7.

34:31Where now the speaker changes. The Son will become the speaker here in what is an inter-Trinitarian conversation. God the Father says, verse 7, I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord. No, Jesus the Messiah is saying, I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord. He, the Father, said to me, The Son, you are my Son. Today I have begotten you. Now, don't let this language of begotten confuse you. It's not as though Jesus either came on the scene historically, poof, out of nothing, he didn't exist, and then he was begotten at his birth. No, in fact, the word begotten is attached to Jesus in the New Testament, Romans chapter 1, in the context of his resurrection, not of his incarnation. The begottenness of Jesus as the king is realized with his resurrection from the dead. Now he is victorious over sin and death, and therefore he can rule and he can reign. You are my son, today I've begotten you. Ask of me, and I will surely give the nations as your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as your possession. You see, with the son's coronation comes his inheritance, whereas all the nations and it's all the earth.

36:01Psalm 67, let all the nations praise you. He is king not over Israel only, but over all the earth. And with this kingship, with this coronation, with this inheritance becomes a responsibility. It is his not only to rule, but also to judge. Verse 9: You shall break them with a rod of iron. You shall shatter them like earthenware. You see, the Son must judge. In order to have this holy rule, he must also execute judgment against these rebels, all who shake their fist in the face of Almighty God. And notice how this judgment is indicated here. You shall break them with a rod of iron. Breaking them with a rod of iron likens the nations to. Earthenware or ceramics. Can you imagine? It's going to be worse than that plate that drops on your tile floor in the kitchen.

37:40They stand no chance. The rod of iron is so strong and powerful. These pieces of pottery are so weak and flimsy. I know that they are likened to the earthly kings who seem so powerful at the moment, but friends, They're just like pots that are going to crack. All the nations in their rebellion coming together to unite against the Lord and against his anointed. They will be coming together, but they will be coming together like one big international pinata.

38:16And when he winds up with a rod of iron, poof, the judgment will fall. This is why the book of Revelation references this theme from Psalm 2, verse 9 so often. For instance, these broken potsherds at Thyatira, one of the seven churches of Asia Minor. In reference to this, we read how he will rule, literally he will shepherd them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father.

38:54In Revelation 12, verse 5, we read, she gave birth to a male child who is to rule over. All the nations with a rod of iron. But her child was caught up to God and to his throne. Revelation 19, verse 15: From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. It is as if Psalm 2 is a reminder to all the earthly kings, to every prime minister, to every president, to every human being who thinks, I'll do as I please.

39:38You're not the boss of me. Here, each rebel is instructed that their rebellion will not last forever. They will be like broken pieces of pottery. Friends, like broken pottery, breaking the bonds of the nations, reduces them to nothingness. And no meaningful opposition to God's anointed will last. Not theirs, not mine, and not yours. Thankfully, this is not where the psalm concludes. With me. Merely an announcement of judgment. This would be what the kings of the earth deserve in their united opposition to the Lord, but this is not where they are left. You see, so many kings throughout Scripture have spoken so foolishly.

40:51They have spoken beyond the level of their earthly authority. I've got a sermon that I'm not going to preach today called Foolish Questions in the Mouths of Gentile Kings in the Bible. In fact, I can't preach it because I can't finish it. I keep coming across new examples. And, like, oh, the sermon's not finished being written yet. You just start looking. They're everywhere. Now, as an educator, I've been encouraged perhaps to say things like there are no stupid questions to embolden participation in the classroom. But if any of you have been educators for very long, you know there are exceptions to that rule.

41:41Here's one that comes to mind right away in the book of Exodus. It comes from Pharaoh of Egypt. When God sends Moses to say, Let my people go, Pharaoh does not simply say no. In Exodus chapter 5, verse 2, He says, Who is this God that I should fear him? Oh, friends, step back from people like that. You know, it's clouding up over them. You know, judgment is about to strike, but can I reference back to Exodus for a moment and simply say, God is a very patient educator. He gave Pharaoh 10 audio-visual illustrations.

42:27The Bible calls them plagues. And Pharaoh eventually got the message and even the answer to his question: Who is this God that I should fear him? The Egyptians worshiped the Nile River as a god. The first plague out of the shoot, turning the Nile River water to blood. Answer number one: it's not the Nile River. There were other things that the Egyptians worshiped, and the book of Exodus is clear to tell us that all of the plagues were ultimately against the gods of Egypt. As part of their state religion, they even worshiped the Pharaoh as a deity. And when Pharaoh could not even protect the next Pharaoh, his firstborn son, through the last plague, he finally had to admit he was not God.

43:21We can move to the book of Daniel with the famous question of Nebuchadnezzar, who in Daniel chapter 4, verses 28 through 30, says, The foolishness of the world. Foolish words. Is this not the great Babylon which I have created for the glory of my own majesty? Oh, friends, step back from people like that. I mean, he should have known better. God does not share his glory with kings because the moment those words left his mouth, we read how poof he became like a cow and for seven years roamed the earth, his hair growing out like eagles' feathers, his fingernails like claws, and he's eating grass. You want to talk about a severe study hall.

44:09God, in his mercy, allows him to learn the correct answer to his question. And later we have the confession of Nebuchadnezzar that there's no God like God. He knows that he does not share God's glory. We can keep going down the list. Sennacherib in Isaiah 36, verses 18 through 20, he asked the foolish question: Who among all the gods have delivered their land so that the Lord should deliver Jerusalem from my hand? Oh, step back. Oh, don't say that. You'll recall, this is the Sennacherib who had King Hezekiah trapped like a bird in a cage. And he claimed that he had, you know, conquered this city and this city and this city, and now he's laid siege on Jerusalem.

45:00His great Sennacherib prism, of which there are three known copies extant today in the world museums, all go on to say that while he had King Hezekiah trapped like a bird in a cage, it quickly moves on and says, And then I went on and I conquered this city and this city and that city. Why? Because the book of Isaiah would reveal that one day he woke up to 180,000 of his troops strewn across the landscape around Jerusalem. And essentially, I think the footnote might add, he went yiping like a dog back toward his homeland in fear. He can't let that get out. No, that can't be the press release. He needs to get ahead of that.

45:47Friends, there are many of these foolish questions that come in the mouths of these Gentile kings in the Bible, but like broken pottery, breaking the bonds of the nation, it reduces them to nothingness. Don't let that be the way you meet the Lord's lordship. Instead, notice the invitation at the end of this psalm of a refuge for repentant kings. We read in verses 10 and following: now, therefore, O kings, be wise. Be warned, O rulers of the earth, serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the sun, lest he be angry and you perish in the way. For his wrath is quickly kindled. This does not mean he's ill-tempered. His wrath is quickly kindled. But look, when it comes, it's coming, and you won't be able to say, Oh, well, what I should have done. See? The wrath is coming, and when judgment falls, you're either on the right or the wrong side of his judgment. This Psalm and the one prior to it, Psalm 1, points out that there are two ways to live, there are two destinies, but only one leads to life. There is a consequence of which destiny you choose. Like the book of Proverbs, we read about the crooked path that leads to destruction. It's the broad way, the wide way. It is the popular way. It is the path that most people are on. Someone has said the fact that there is a highway to hell and only a stairway to heaven says a lot about anticipated traffic patterns.

47:44There is one way that leads to life. It is the wise way of Proverbs. It is the worshiping way of the Psalms. It is the way that recognizes God's Messiah and invites all now. To take refuge in him, if you have not taken refuge in him, if you have not found him to be the one whom Scripture calls the Savior, then today let him save you. Call out to him. Despite all of these prophetic announcements about the doom of those who rebel, the Psalm concludes with an invitation to all who repent.

48:30Will you join the many kings of this earth who recognized the limitations to their lordship? Will you join other rebels that perhaps you know who have become repentant? Instead of shaking your fist at Almighty God, would you turn those hands into praise? Would you open your clenched fist? Will you bow your rebellious knee? And will you come submitting to the Lord? He offers himself as a refuge for sinners for you and for me. Let's pray. Father, as we have opened your word, we asked that you would help us to open. Open our hearts. Help us to see ourselves in our unworthiness, in our rebellion, in our limitations, and to see you in your kindness, your mercy, your willingness to forgive all who call upon the name of the Lord. whom you promise to save. We thank you for this truth of Scripture. We thank you for the hope that it represents to each one of us who rebel against you.

50:16Because in the end, your scripture has told us that while you oppose the proud, you give grace to the humble. Help us to be among those who humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, that you may exalt us in due time. We give you thanks in the name of the Prince of Peace, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the anointed Messiah, Jesus Christ. Amen.