Sunday Meditation, March 7
Praising God in the Dark
Scripture for Meditation: Psalm 89:46-49
How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire? Remember how short my time is! For what vanity you have created all the children of man! What man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah Lord, where is your steadfast love of old, which by your faithfulness you swore to David?
Prayer of Blessing
Responsive Reading: II Samuel 7:12-19
“‘When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.
He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you.
And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’”
In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David. Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God.
You have spoken also of your servant's house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God!”
Prayer of Corporate Confession
Silence for Personal Confession
Assurance of Pardon: I Peter 2:10
Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Response: Thanks be to God.
Instrumental Meditation: Psalm 40
Ministry of the Word
Transition to Singing
Feel free to leave at this time or stay for the indoor singing.
Psalm of Lament: Psalm 42
Lord, from sorrows deep I call
When my hope is shaken
Torn and ruined from the fall
Hear my desperation
For so long I’ve pled and prayed
God, come to my rescue
Even so the thorn remains
Still my heart will praise You.Storms within my troubled soul
Questions without answers
On my faith these billows roll
God, be now my shelter
Why are you cast down my soul?
Hope in Him who saves you
When the fires have all grown cold
Cause this heart to praise You.Chorus:
And, oh, my soul, put your hope in God
My help, my Rock, I will praise Him
Sing, oh, sing through the raging storm
You’re still my God, my salvation.Should my life be torn from me
Every worldly pleasure
When all I possess is grief
God, be then my treasure
Be my vision in the night
Be my hope and refuge
Till my faith is turned to sight
Lord, my heart will praise You.Words and music by Matt Papa and Matt Boswell
© 2018 Getty Music Hymns and Songs (ASCAP)/Love Your Enemies Publishing (ASCAP)/Getty Music Publishing (BMI)/Messenger Hymns (BMI) (adm by MusicServices.org).
CCLI #2783020
Psalm of Help: Psalm 40
I waited for the Lord my God, and patiently did bear;
At length to me he did incline my voice and cry to hear.He took me from a fearful pit, and from the miry clay,
And on a rock he set my feet, establishing my way.He put a new song in my mouth, our God to magnify:
Many shall see it, and shall fear, and on the Lord rely.Thy tender mercies, Lord, from me O do thou not restrain;
Thy loving-kindness, and thy truth, let them me still maintain.The Scottish Psalter of 1650
Hymn of Mercy: His Mercy Is More
What love could remember no wrongs we have done?
Omniscient, all knowing, He counts not their sum.
Thrown into a sea without bottom or shore.
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more.Chorus:
Praise the Lord,
His mercy is more.
Stronger than darkness, new every morn.
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more .
What patience would wait as we constantly roam?
What Father, so tender, is calling us home?
He welcomes the weakest, the vilest, the poor.
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more.What riches of kindness he lavished on us.
His blood was the payment, His life was the cost.
We stood ’neath a debt we could never afford.
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more.Matt Papa and Matt Boswell
© 2015 Messenger Hymns (BMI) Getty Music Publishing (BMI) Getty Music ASCAP Designee (ASCAP) (admin. by Music Services, www.musicservices.org)/ Love Your Enemies Publishing (ASCAP). All rights reserved. Used by permission. CCLI #2783020
*All Scripture, English Standard Version. © 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Used by permission.