Psalms: Lesson 2

Overview

The Whole Bible in Miniature: Finding God's Story in the Psalms

Martin Luther called the Psalter "a little Bible," because everything contained in the whole of Scripture is "beautifully and briefly comprehended" within it. Put to the test, the claim holds. The full arc of God's story—creation, sin, repentance, steadfast love, crucifixion, resurrection, and the life of God's people—can be traced through the Psalms.

Creation and the Reality of Sin

The Psalms sing creation in poetic form, retelling what Genesis declares. Psalm 104:5-27 describes the Lord setting the earth on its foundations, appointing boundaries for the waters, providing springs for wild animals, food for cattle, and bread to strengthen the human heart—echoing the ordered creation of Genesis 1:1. It is fitting that the Septuagint's word for "maker" is also the word for "poet": God is the great Poet whose creation is sustained moment by moment at His hand.

But humanity rebelled. Genesis 6:5-6 shows the Lord grieved by human wickedness, and Hosea 4:1-7 indicts a people who exchanged their glory for shame. The Psalter speaks the same truth: Psalm 36:1-4 describes the wicked plotting evil even on their beds, while Psalm 14:1-3 and Psalm 53:1-3 declare that "there is no one who does good, no, not one"—the very text Paul cites in Romans 3 to confront us with universal sin.

Repentance and God's Steadfast Love

Where sin abounds, the Psalms also call us to repentance. Psalm 51 is David's confession after his adultery and murder: "Against you, you alone, have I sinned… Create in me a clean heart, O God." Psalm 80:4-7 cries, "Restore us, O God of hosts," and Psalm 143 pleads, "Teach me the way I should go." This is the same call Jesus extends in Luke 5:31-32: He came not for the righteous but for sinners, to call them to repentance.

The Psalter answers our repentance with a flood of divine faithfulness. Psalm 111:7-9 declares God's precepts trustworthy and His covenant everlasting. Psalm 34:22 promises that none who take refuge in the Lord will be condemned. Psalm 33 reminds us that the earth is full of His steadfast love and that He fashions the human heart—the same God who promised in Ezekiel to replace hearts of stone with hearts of flesh.

The Cross, the Empty Tomb, and the Life of Praise

The Psalms also foretell Christ's saving work with stunning clarity. From the cross, Jesus prays the opening line of Psalm 22:1—"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"—as recorded in Matthew 27:45-54. Psalm 103 proclaims a God who does not deal with us according to our sins but removes our transgressions as far as the east is from the west—a love accomplished at the cross. Psalm 118:21-25 names Christ as the rejected stone become the cornerstone, the day of redemption in which we rejoice and are glad.

The resurrection, too, is sung beforehand. Psalm 16:8-11 testifies, "You will not abandon my soul to Sheol." Peter quotes this very passage in Acts 2:24-32 to declare that David, as a prophet, foresaw the resurrection of the Messiah—Christ, whom death could not hold.

What, then, is the Christian life? The Psalter opens and closes with the answer. Psalm 1:1-3 describes the blessed one whose delight is in the law of the Lord, rooted like a tree by streams of water. And Psalm 150 commissions every breath we have to praise—the life we live now and the life we will live forever in His presence. Luther was right: in the Psalms we hold the whole counsel of God, and we are invited to live by it day by day.

Transcript

Heavenly Lord, we thank you so much for your word. 3s

We thank you for your grace and your love and your mercy that you pour out upon us through 6s

your word. 14s

Lord, we ask that as we study the Psalms together today, that you would guide us by your spirit, 15s

open our hearts to what you would have us here and lead us, transform us, and mold us 22s

to live according to your word, according to your ways, and in the freedom of your love 28s

and mercy today and always. 34s

Lord, we lift this to you in the name of Jesus Christ. 37s

Amen. 40s

Okay. 41s

So, I just want to remind you something that Martin Luther had said about the Psalter. 42s

He said it could well be entitled a little Bible since everything contained in the entire 50s

Bible is beautifully and briefly comprehended and compacted into a manual. 57s

So I thought what we would do today is find God's story for us in the Psalms. 65s

Let's test Martin Luther. 75s

Is he telling truth when he says that we have the whole of Scripture in the Psalms, 79s

the whole of Scripture? 87s

And so we're going to do just that and I can tell you, sneak peek, yes, it is. 89s

So go ahead and open up to the Psalms. 94s

What was really fun is I was preparing for this. 100s

And if you ever want an exercise in fun, do this, find this, find other Psalms than what 102s

I'm going to bring up today because I kept finding more, more, more, more, more for every 113s

single part. 120s

And it was so much fun and so cool to be able to read through the Psalms and go, oh my 122s

gosh, here it is. 128s

And then find it in the Old Testament, find it in the New Testament and find it in more 129s

Psalms. 134s

And so it is just incredible and it is really fun. 135s

I promise. 140s

It's really fun. 141s

So we're going to open up to Psalm 104. 142s

But it is, it's that whole making a case for Christ, making a case for the Psalter, being 147s

the little Bible, the full story of creation redemption and glory, it all can be found 152s

in the Psalms. 163s

So we're going to start with creation. 164s

We're going to start with creation. 168s

So we're going to look at Psalm 104. 169s

We're going to begin in verse 5. 171s

You set the earth on its foundations so that it shall never be shaken. 176s

You cover it with the deep as with a garment. 180s

The waters stood above the mountains. 183s

At your rebuke they flee at the sound of your thunder they take to flight. 186s

They rose up to the mountains round down, ran down to the valleys to the place that you 190s

appointed for them. 195s

So just a little side note here we're going to break for a second. 196s

So remember how last week we were talking about the Greek word in the Septuagint, that's 200s

the Greek translation of the Old Testament. 205s

So the Greek word for the creator or the maker is also poet. 209s

And do we hear how creation is being told in that poetic form here? 215s

Because in Genesis if we keep your hand here but let's go back to Genesis chapter 1. 221s

Just at the very beginning. 228s

Chapter 1 verse 1. 231s

In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was formless, void 235s

and darkness covered the face of the deep while a wind from God swept over the face of 240s

the waters. 246s

Then God said let there be light and there was light and God saw that the light was 247s

good and God separated the light from the darkness. 251s

God called the light day and the darkness he called night and there was evening and there 254s

was morning the first day. 258s

And God said let there be a dome in the midst of the waters and let it separate the waters 260s

from the waters. 264s

So God made the dome. 265s

We go down and God said let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place 267s

and let the dry land appear. 272s

And it was so. 274s

And so as he's creating earth we know that there are boundaries being set. 275s

We know that that mountains are being formed, that valleys are being formed. 280s

We know this and in the Psalms we get a more full or a fuller picture of this, right? 285s

So continuing in in Psalm 104 you might want to keep your hand in Genesis because we very 293s

well will go back. 299s

Do do do do do do. 302s

Oh okay so let's go ahead. 303s

Verse verse 7. 305s

The 307s

Noverse 8. 308s

They rose up to the mountains, ran down to the valleys to the place that you appointed 309s

for them. 313s

You set a boundary that they may not pass. 314s

So they so that they may not again cover the earth. 317s

You make springs, gush forth in the valleys. 321s

They flow between the hills, giving drink to every wild animal, the wild asses quench their 323s

thirst. 329s

By the streams the birds of the air have their habitation. 330s

They sing among the branches. 333s

You are the fruit of the fruit of the fruit of your work. 337s

You cause the grass to grow for the cattle and plants for people to use. 342s

To bring forth food from the earth and wine to gladden the human heart, oil to make the 346s

face shine and bread to strengthen the human heart. 351s

The trees of the Lord are watered abundantly the seeders of Lebanon that he planted. 354s

In them the birds build their nest. 359s

The stork has its home in the fur trees. 361s

The high mountains are free. 363s

For the wild goats, the rocks are refuge for the conies. 364s

You've made the moon to mark the seizes. 369s

The sun knows it's time for setting. 371s

You make darkness in its night. 373s

Let's go down to verse 24, O Lord, how manifold are your works. 376s

In wisdom you have made them all. 383s

The earth is full of your creatures. 385s

Yonder is the sea, great and wide creeping things in newmorable are there. 388s

Living things both small and great. 392s

Let's jump down to verse 27. 396s

These all look to you to give them their food in due season. 398s

When you give it to them they gather it up. 403s

When you open your hand they are filled with good things. 405s

When you hide your face they are dismayed. 408s

When you take away their breath they die and return to their dust. 410s

When you send forth your spirit they are created and you renew the face of the ground. 415s

Do you hear the creation in that? 419s

Do you hear the sustaining gift of life that God gives to his creation? 423s

That everything is sustained at his hand by his hand. 431s

It says that it's through his wisdom that all things are created. 436s

This brings us directly to that first chapter in Genesis where we see creation. 441s

Unfold. 449s

We see the animals coming. 451s

We see the innumerable creatures in the sea and on the ground creepy crawly things. 453s

We see that the plants that he planted the seeders of Lebanon, the fir trees that the 462s

Storks live in. 469s

We see not only creation but we see all of those symbiotic relationships that God has created 470s

within creation. 478s

We see the order that is placed there. 480s

Does everyone believe and agree that creation can be found in the Psalms? 484s

Excellent. 491s

Okay. 492s

So now we are going to go to sin. 493s

We are going to go to sin. 497s

Let's first go back to Genesis chapter 6. 499s

So creation has happened in Genesis. 507s

We've seen it in the Psalms. 511s

Creation has happened. 512s

But sin also takes place. 514s

We know that sin enters. 517s

We get that in Genesis chapter 3. 518s

Here we are in Genesis chapter 6 verses 5 and 6 where Moses wrote, 521s

but the Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth and that every inclination 528s

of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. 533s

And the Lord was sorry that he made humankind on the earth and it grieved him to his heart. 538s

So we see sin. 545s

Let's go over to Hosea. 546s

So you're going to pass the Psalms. 549s

You are going to go past the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah and Ezekiel and Daniel. 552s

It is right after Daniel. 561s

You're going to find Hosea. 563s

And we're going to go to Hosea chapter 4. 564s

Hosea chapter 4. 570s

We're going to look first at verses 1 and 2 and then we're going to jump down to 7. 572s

And remember sin is here. 576s

Here the word of the Lord owe people of Israel for the Lord has an indictment against the inhabitants of the land. 579s

There is no faithfulness or loyalty and no knowledge of God in the land. 587s

Swearing, lying and murder and stealing and adultery break out. 593s

Bloodshed follows bloodshed. 598s

Let's jump down to verse 7. 600s

The more they increased. 603s

The more they sinned against me, they changed their glory into shame. 605s

So here we have sin and we know we can look through the Old Testament and we can see it in the New Testament. 611s

The sin gets played out, gets called out. 618s

But in the Old Testament we see Israel consistently in this cycle of rebellion. 621s

And we're going to go through this cycle within Psalms, rebellion, repentance and restoration. 627s

And so sin happens throughout and we can follow so closely so much of the sin life of the Israelite. 633s

How they turned from the Lord, turned from the Lord. 642s

I chose to take out of Hosea for that example of sin from Scripture because Hosea is the prophet that has to marry a prostitute. 644s

And the prostitute and his marriage to the prostitute really is the analogy that God gives of his relationship with Israel, 660s

that he has made a covenant to this people and they turn from him there unfaithful to him, but he remains faithful to them. 671s

And so sin, now we're going to look for it in the Psalms. 682s

Sin, chapter 36 or Psalm 36, not chapter 36. 688s

Psalm 36. 693s

So again, if you open your Bible right to the middle, you're going to find yourselves in Psalms. 695s

And I got to tell you this is a total side note that I just know felt right now. 699s

But so do you remember last week when I said, oh, every time we open, we find ourselves in Psalms. 703s

And I found myself in something else. 708s

What did I find myself in? 711s

I can't remember. 713s

Anyway, I found myself, oh, in lamentations, I promise you every time this week, I open my book to the Bible or open the Bible to the middle. 714s

I keep opening to lamentations. 723s

It is, I guess I was supposed to read that good. 726s

Okay. 731s

I don't know what that means. 732s

Okay. 733s

So total side note, but sin, sin found in Psalms. 734s

So we're going to look at Psalm 36 beginning in the first verse. 738s

Transgressions speaks to the wicked deep in their hearts. 744s

There is no fear of God before their eyes. 748s

For they flatter themselves in their own eyes that their iniquity cannot be found out and hated. 751s

The words of their mouths are mischief and deceit. 756s

They have ceased to act wisely and do good. 761s

They plot mischief while on their beds. 765s

They are set on a way that is not good. 767s

They do not reject evil. 769s

Them plotting the sinner plotting sin on their bed. 773s

Thinking out mischief, that is, that is the whole idea of there is no time. 777s

That this person, this sinner is not conjuring up more sin. 782s

Figuring out more sin, more wicked plans, evil, devising evil plans. 788s

So let's go over to Psalm 53. 794s

Psalm 53, we're going to look at the first three verses. 798s

Full of saying in their hearts, there is no God. 805s

They're corrupt. 809s

They commit abominable act. 810s

There is no one who does good. 811s

God looks down from heaven on humankind to see if there are any who are wise, who seek after God. 814s

They have all fallen away. 821s

They are all alike perverse. 823s

There is no one who does good. 826s

No, not one. 829s

We go to Psalm 14. 832s

And again, same, the verses one through three. 841s

Full of saying in their hearts, there is no God. 845s

They're corrupt. 848s

They do abominable deeds. 849s

There is no one who does good. 850s

The Lord looks down from heaven on humankind to see if there are any who are wise, who seek after God. 853s

They have all gone astray. 858s

They are all alike perverse. 860s

There is no one who does good. 861s

No, not one. 864s

Sounds familiar. 865s

Sounds like we just read that in Psalm 53. 866s

This is also what is quoted, what Paul quotes in the book of Romans to the Romans when he is talking about sin. 872s

He says that no one. 882s

No one. 884s

There is not one who is righteous. 885s

No one who seeks after God. 886s

We can find it in Romans chapter three versus 10 through 12. 888s

We're not going to go there because we're good on time. 892s

And I don't want to... 896s

Yes. 897s

If you have not been in service yet, you'll hear it in the servant. 898s

And if you have been in service, then just think back and remember. 900s

So does everyone agree that creation is found in Psalm? 903s

Does everyone agree that the truth of sin of everyone being a sinner is that found in the Psalms? 909s

Yes. 920s

Okay. 921s

So so far we have creation and we have the truth of our human nature, the truth of sin put before us. 921s

So we have that cycle of rebellion. 930s

Now we're going to go to the repentance portion. 933s

So let's go ahead and go to Psalm 51. 936s

I told you last week, Psalm 51 is going to come up a lot because it's the best. 942s

Okay. 950s

So Psalm 51 beginning. 951s

We're going to actually kind of go with just jumping some verses here. 955s

We're going to begin in four where David, again, this is his confession after committing adultery, 959s

orchestrating a murder, covering it all up. 966s

So he writes against you, you alone have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight so that you are justified in your sentence. 969s

And blameless when you pass judgment, let's go down to verse seven. 977s

Purge me with his up and I shall be clean. 982s

Wash me and I shall be wider than snow. 985s

Let's go to verse nine. 988s

Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. 989s

And verse 11, do not pass me away from your presence and do not take your Holy Spirit from me. 994s

So he is, he is making a confession and he is repenting of what he has done wrong. 1000s

Let's go to Psalm 80. 1007s

Psalm 80, we're going to look at verses four through seven. 1015s

And again, we're looking at that repentant heart. 1020s

O Lord, God of hosts, how long will you be angry with your people's prayers? 1026s

You have fed them with the bread of tears and given them tears to drink and full measure. 1032s

You make us the scorn of our neighbors, our enemies laugh among themselves. 1038s

Restore us, O God of hosts, let your face shine that we may be saved. 1042s

They're repenting of their wrongdoing, they're recognizing that they've done wrong. 1048s

And they're asking for mercy. 1052s

Let's keep going over to Psalm 143. 1056s

Psalm 143. 1062s

And we're going to read a couple of chunks here. 1065s

Psalm 143 beginning in verse one. 1070s

Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications in your faithfulness. 1073s

Answer me in your righteousness. 1078s

Do not enter into judgment with your servant for no one living is righteous before you. 1080s

Jump down to, I got to find where I am, to seven and eight. 1087s

Answer me quickly, O Lord, my spirit fails. 1093s

Do not hide your face from me or I shall be like those who go down to the pit. 1096s

Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning for in you I put my trust. 1100s

Teach me the way I should go for to you. 1105s

I lift up my soul and let's go down to verse 11 for your name, 1108s

sake, O Lord, preserve my life in your righteousness. 1113s

Bring me out of trouble. 1116s

Keeping your hand in the psalm. 1120s

Let's look for repentance elsewhere in the inscriptions. 1123s

So let's go to Isaiah chapter one. 1127s

You're just going to go to the right just a little bit. 1129s

We're going to go past Proverbs and a song of Solomon and Ecclesiastes. 1132s

Isaiah chapter one where we're looking for repentance and we go to verse 27 and 28. 1139s

Zion shall be redeemed by justice and those in her who repent by righteousness. 1148s

But rebels and sinners shall be destroyed together and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed. 1155s

So he's saying those who repent, those who repent will will will be redeemed by justice. 1161s

Let's go over to the New Testament, the gospel of Luke. 1170s

So we have Matthew, Mark, Luke. 1175s

It's the fourth book in the New Testament. 1177s

Luke chapter five. 1180s

Looking at verses 31 and 32. 1183s

Luke five. 1186s

Jesus was answering some Pharisees and scribes that were complaining that he's eating with tax collectors and sinners. 1198s

Jesus answered those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 1206s

I have come to call not the righteous, but sinners to repentance. 1211s

Sinners need repentance. 1218s

So we know that creation can be found in the Psalms. 1220s

We know that our sin, as David says, our sin is ever before us. 1226s

We are made aware of our sin in the Psalms that we know we are sinners that none of us are righteous before the Lord. 1232s

And then we also find repentance. 1240s

Lord have mercy on me. 1244s

Lord, lead me, teach me so that I may walk in righteousness. 1246s

Teach me your ways. 1250s

I'm repenting of all that I have done. 1252s

Don't cast me away from you. 1255s

Don't keep your spirit from me. 1257s

I'm repenting, right? 1260s

Does everyone agree we find repentance within? 1261s

Okay. 1264s

Excellent. 1265s

We are on a really good track here. 1265s

So far we have found creation. 1267s

We have found rebellion. 1270s

We have found repentance. 1271s

So now we're going to find God's dead, fast love and faithfulness. 1273s

This is one that man, oh, man, oh, man, digging for God's dead, fast love and faithfulness in the Psalms. 1277s

You cannot go very far without stumbling into God's love. 1286s

And then you look for another and you cannot go very far without stumbling into God's love. 1291s

The Psalms are rich. 1296s

Just rich with his love and faithfulness. 1299s

So let's start. 1303s

Since we're towards the end of the Psalms right now, we're going to work a little bit backwards in this one. 1304s

Let's go Psalm 111. 1308s

So you're going to flip back to Psalm 111. 1311s

And we're going to read verses 7 through 9. 1318s

The works of his hands are faithful and just. 1321s

All his precepts are trustworthy. 1326s

They are established forever and ever to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness. 1328s

He sent redemption to his people. 1334s

He has commanded his covenant forever. 1337s

Holy and awesome is his name. 1340s

Let's go back to Psalm 34. 1343s

So as I was searching and writing things down, I'd find something. 1348s

Oh, this is great. 1352s

Write it down or type it up. 1353s

And then I'd find. 1354s

So now I'm looking through here and I'm going, oh, we're doing a lot of jumping. 1355s

But that's okay. 1357s

So Psalm 34, we're looking for God's dead, fast love and faithfulness. 1358s

Psalm 34 verse 22. 1363s

The Lord redeems the life of his servants. 1366s

None of those who take refuge in him will be condemned. 1368s

What a beautiful promise. 1372s

That is that none who take refuge in the Lord will be condemned. 1374s

Not one is righteous before the Lord, but not one who takes refuge in him will be condemned. 1381s

Beautiful, beautiful promise. 1390s

Let's go to Psalm 33. 1393s

You probably don't have to flip very far. 1395s

If it all, Psalm 33 beginning in verse 4. 1397s

For the word of the Lord is upright and all his work is done in faithfulness. 1402s

He loves righteousness and justice. 1407s

The earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord jumping down to 13. 1410s

The Lord looks down from heaven. 1416s

He sees all humankind. 1418s

From where he sits and throne, he watches all the inhabitants of the earth. 1420s

He who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds, jumping down to 18. 1424s

Through the end, truly the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love 1432s

to deliver their soul from death and to keep them alive and famine. 1439s

Our soul waits for the Lord. 1443s

He is our help and our shield. 1445s

Our heart is glad in him because we trust in his holy name. 1447s

Let your steadfast love of the Lord be upon us even as we hope in you. 1451s

We see that the Lord is not distant, that he is involved. 1457s

It says he is looking upon his creation. 1462s

He is looking upon humankind. 1465s

And we do hear that he fashions the heart. 1468s

What do we know to be true? 1474s

That it is he who transforms our hearts. 1476s

It is in Ezekiel, we hear how the Lord promises that he will give the heart of flesh. 1480s

That he will change that hardened heart, the heart of stone, and instead give it the heart of flesh. 1486s

That he will soften our hearts, that he will open our heart. 1491s

So it's he that is doing the work out of his steadfast love and his steadfast faithfulness to us as his people. 1495s

So here, and these are just really short examples of the steadfast love. 1505s

I challenge anyone to seek out how many, how many, how much can you count? 1511s

How much, how many Psalms are devoted and dedicated to proclaiming the steadfast love and faithfulness of the Lord? 1519s

You'll get a bonus point, not that we're keeping score in Sunday school. 1527s

But, okay, so we know that creation is told in the Psalms. 1536s

We know that the truth of sin is told in the Psalms. 1542s

We see the seeking, the repentance in Psalms. 1544s

We also see that God is steadfast in his love and faithfulness for his creation and for humankind. 1549s

And so what did he do? He sent his son. 1557s

He sent his son to die upon the cross. 1560s

And so where do we see the crucifixion? 1563s

Where does we see the crucifixion told in the Psalms? 1567s

I'm glad you asked. 1570s

Let's first go to Psalm 22, since we're right here. 1571s

Psalm 22. 1578s

Verse 1. 1584s

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 1586s

Why are you so far from helping me from the words of my groaning? 1590s

Oh, my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer. 1594s

And by night, but find no rest. 1598s

Keep your hand in the Psalms and go over to the Gospel of Matthew, that's the first book in the New Testament, 1600s

the Gospel of Matthew, verse, chapter 27, 1608s

Matthew 27 beginning at verse 45. 1616s

From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three o'clock in the afternoon. 1625s

And about three o'clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, 1631s

Eli, Eli, Lemme, Sabakhthani, that is my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 1635s

When some of the bystanders heard it, they said this man is calling for Elijah. 1643s

At once one of them ran and got a sponge filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick and gave it to him to drink. 1647s

But the others said, wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him. 1655s

Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last. 1659s

At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 1665s

The earth shook and the rocks were split. 1669s

The tombs were also opened in many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep or raised. 1672s

After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many. 1678s

Now when the Centurion and those with him who were keeping watch over Jesus saw the earthquake and what took place they were terrified and said truly this man was God's Son. 1684s

We hear Jesus quoting from the Psalms. 1695s

So in Psalm 22 David, David is giving a prophecy of the time that Jesus would be on the cross. 1700s

Let's go back to Psalms. 1713s

Go to Psalm 103. 1716s

Psalm 103. 1724s

Psalm 103. 1732s

Bless the Lord, O my soul, we're starting the verse first verse. 1733s

And all that is within me, bless his holy name. 1738s

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits. 1741s

Who forgives all your iniquity. 1744s

Who heals all your diseases. 1747s

Who redeems your life from the pit. 1749s

Who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy. 1752s

Who satisfies you with good as long as you live. 1755s

So that your youth is renewed like the eagles. 1758s

The Lord works vindication and justice for all who are oppressed. 1761s

He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. 1766s

The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 1770s

He will not always accuse nor will he keep his anger forever. 1776s

He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. 1781s

For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him. 1788s

As far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us. 1794s

As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him. 1801s

For he knows how we were made. 1806s

He remembers that we are dust. 1808s

So we here in here, we here, we here that we are redeemed from the pit. 1811s

We here that we have a crown of love and mercy. 1818s

We here that are, that we are vindicated, that our sin, our iniquity, is not upon us, 1823s

that we are not judged or dealt with according to our sin, but that we are judged and dealt with according to God's steadfast love and faithfulness. 1832s

How does he do that upon the cross? 1843s

So we know that there is redemption to be found in the Lord and the Lord alone. 1845s

Let's go over to Psalm 118. 1851s

Psalm 118. This was Luther's favorite Psalm, and Pastor Eibel had a beautiful sermon. 1853s

Beautiful sermon. I believe it was the Easter sermon, this past Easter, Psalm 118, verses 21 through 25. 1863s

I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. 1874s

The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. 1879s

This is the Lord's doing. It is marvelous in our eyes. 1884s

This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in us. 1887s

Save us, we beseech you, O Lord. O Lord, we beseech you, give us success. 1893s

Remember that beautiful sermon about this is the day the Lord has made. 1899s

Let us rejoice and be glad in it. The day is the day of the crucifixion that we have been redeemed through the cross. 1904s

That we have been redeemed. Our sins have been answered for. 1915s

So that is a beautiful sentiment for every day. 1919s

It is a beautiful word for every day because every day is a gift from the Lord. 1922s

Every day is a day that the Lord has made for us, but it is all centered upon what became the chief cornerstone. 1927s

That is the cornerstone of our faith that Christ died and was buried and rose again. 1936s

This is where we have our gladness and our joy. 1944s

So we have creation, we have sin, we found repentance, we found God's steadfast love and faithfulness, 1951s

we see the crucifixion that only God can redeem us. 1958s

We see it foretold. Christ quotes right from the prophecy that David gave to us in Psalm 22. 1963s

Are we all in the same page that so far we have this God's word for us all in the Psalter. Can this be found? 1971s

Excellent. So now we are going to find the resurrection and the victory of God. 1982s

Let's go to Psalm 16. 1990s

Psalm 16. 1992s

We are going to look at verses 8 through 11. 1998s

Psalm 16 verses 8 through 11. 2004s

So we are going to look for that victory over sin for the resurrection of Christ. 2009s

Okay, I keep the Lord always before me because he is at my right hand. I shall not be moved. 2017s

Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices. My body also rests secure. 2024s

For you do not give me up to shale or let your faithful ones see the pit. 2030s

You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy in your right hand. 2035s

Our pleasures forever more. This is explained and we are told how this indeed is proof of the resurrection. 2041s

If keep your hand there but go to the book of Acts. 2051s

So this is the book right after the Gospels. So we have Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and then we have the book of Acts. 2055s

It's in the New Testament. 2061s

We are going to look at Acts chapter 2 where Peter is addressing. He is giving a sermon. 2064s

He is addressing the crowd. Pentecost has happened. The Holy Spirit has come upon them, given them the gift of tongues. 2075s

They are out there and people say you all are drunk and he says no, no, no, no. 2083s

And so he is then preaching to them. And beginning in verse 24 where Peter is preaching he says but God raised him, that's Jesus. 2086s

Raised Jesus up having freed him from death because it was impossible for him to be held in its power. 2098s

For David says concerning him, I saw the Lord always before me. For he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken. 2106s

Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced more over my flesh will live in hope. 2115s

For you will not abandon my soul to hate ease or let your holy one experience corruption. 2121s

You have made known to me the ways of life. You will make me full of gladness with your presence. 2127s

Fellow Israelites, Peter says, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried and his tomb is with us to this day. 2133s

Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne. 2144s

For seeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah saying he was not abandoned to hate ease nor did his flesh experience corruption. 2154s

This Jesus, God raised up and of that all of us are witnesses. 2164s

So he is telling how David was prophesying of the resurrection. 2173s

We have the crucifixion that is foretold. We have the resurrection, the victory over sin because Christ cannot be held in the power of death. 2182s

His body was not corrupted. And so Peter is explaining that this is about Jesus. This is about the Son of God that he is resurrected, that he lives. 2195s

So we have gone from creation to recognizing the sinfulness of humanity, to seeing the need for repentance and the call of repentance. 2210s

We have seen the steadfast love and faithfulness of the Lord's shown through the crucifixion that God alone can redeem us and can change us, can give us new life. 2222s

If we see the victory of the resurrection that God cannot be held in the power of sin or the power of death, and then we see how the life of the Christian is to continue. 2237s

How we are called to live as a Christian people. Let's go right to the start of Psalms with Psalm 1 verses 1 through 3. 2254s

Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked or take the path that sinners tread or sit in the seat of scoffers but their delight is in the law of the Lord. 2267s

And on his law they meditate day and night. They are like trees planted by streams of water which yield their fruit in it season and their leaves do not wither. 2279s

In all that they do, they prosper. We see that the believer that the person who is in Christ, the life we live is the life that is not like the scoffer. 2289s

It is not lived in wickedness but it is lived meditating and delighting in God's word, in God's law, in his precepts that he has given to us. 2302s

And we find that living in his word, we are blessed. We are blessed. We are like trees that are rooted by water and this word is the water that blows constantly giving us light in and through it. 2313s

And so we get to be blessed because we get to be fed and nourished by God's word. 2332s

And then let's go just for fun. I've got a couple more here but for fun we're wrapping up here. That's not the fun part but for fun we're going to do the book and let's go to the very last Psalm Psalm 150. 2340s

Psalm 150. We're going to read the whole thing. So again, this is the life of the Christian Psalm 150. Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary. Praise him in his mighty firmament. Praise him for his mighty deeds. Praise him according to his surpassing greatness. 2356s

Praise him with trumpet sound. Praise him with lute and harp. Praise him with tambourine and dance. Praise him with strings and pipe. Praise him with clanging cymbal. Praise him with loud clashing cymbal. Let everything that breathes. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. We as a Christian people, we who are in the Lord, we are called to what? To praise the Lord, to give him glory. 2377s

We are to do it with song, we're to do it with within his whole within the church. We are to do it within the firmament. That is everywhere. What do we do? But we sing the praises of the Lord. God, that is the lights that we get to live. 2405s

And the good news is that we get to live that life here and now this side of heaven, but this is the life that we are promised eternally, that we get to live in the glory of God and praise his holy name forever. 2423s

So Martin Luther said that this could be the Psalter could be entitled the little Bible since everything contained in the Bible is beautifully and briefly comprehended and compacted into a manual. 2441s

Do we do we think that Martin Luther was indeed right? I think so. I think so. In Psalms today, we have found creation. We have found sin. We have found repentance. We have found God's dead fast love and faithfulness. 2455s

We have found that the crucifixion was to happen. We have found that the resurrection was promised and we have found how we are called to live as God's own people. 2474s