“Expression of Thanks for the Perfection of God’s Will”

“Expression of Thanks for the Perfection of God’s Will”

Psalm 40:6-10: Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; my ears you have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering you did not require.  Then I said, Behold, I come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me.  I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart.  I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness in the great assembly; indeed, I do not restrain my lips, O Lord, You Yourself know.  I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great assembly.

Our Expression of thanks for the perfection of God's Will is . . .

A.   Seen in Obedience to God

1.   Our outward services (prayer, praise, and material offerings) are of no value in the sight of God unless they come from the heart, and are accompanied by obedience (vv. 6-7; I Samuel 15:22)

2.   Our delight is to do God’s Will because His Law is written on our hearts (v. 8)

B.   Seen in the Preaching of the Good News of God’s Character (vv. 9-10)

1.   Righteousness—God displays His dealings with man

2.   Faithfulness—God will perform what He has promised

3.   Lovingkindness—God gives mercy toward sinners through Christ’s sacrifice

4.   Salvation—the outcome of all of God’s attributes brings us deliverance from wrath

Psalm 40:11-17: Do not withhold your tender mercies from me, O Lord;’ Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me.  For innumerable evils have surrounded me; My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of my head; therefore my heart fails me.  Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me; O Lord, make hast to help me!  Let them be ashamed and brought to mutual confusion who seek to destroy my life; let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor who wish me evil.  Let them be confounded because of their shame, who say to me, Aha, aha!  Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You.  Let such as love Your salvation say continually, The Lord be magnified!  But I am poor and needy; Yet the Lord thinks upon me.  You are my help and my deliverer, do not delay, O my God.

C.   Seen in our Deliverance through Prayer from daily sin (vv. 11-17)

1.   True servants of God are confident, but still must pray. (v. 11)

2.   True servants of God fall into sins, and must confess (v. 12-15; Psalm 51)

3.   True servants of God seek to magnify the Lord with their lives (v. 16)

4.     True servants of God confide all of their distresses to the Lord, knowing that the Lord is thinking upon them.(v. 17)