These Psalms show aspects of God’s character and His will for His people. They also prophesy about the ministry of the Saviour to come.
Psalms 109: Help Me, O LORD My God To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
1 Be not silent, O God of my praise!
2 For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me, speaking against me with lying tongues.
3 They encircle me with words of hate, and attack me without cause.
4 In return for my love they accuse me, but I give myself to prayer.
5 So they reward me evil for good, and hatred for my love.
6 Appoint a wicked man against him; let an accuser stand at his right hand.
7 When he is tried, let him come forth guilty; let his prayer be counted as sin!
8 May his days be few; may another take his office!
9 May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow!
10 May his children wander about and beg, seeking food far from the ruins they inhabit!
11 May the creditor seize all that he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil!
12 Let there be none to extend kindness to him, nor any to pity his fatherless children!
13 May his posterity be cut off; may his name be blotted out in the second generation!
14 May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out!
15 Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth!
16 For he did not remember to show kindness, but pursued the poor and needy and the broken-hearted, to put them to death.
17 He loved to curse; let curses come upon him! He did not delight in blessing; may it be far from him!
18 He clothed himself with cursing as his coat; may it soak into his body like water, like oil into his bones!
19 May it be like a garment that he wraps around him, like a belt that he puts on every day!
20 May this be the reward of my accusers from the LORD, of those who speak evil against my life!
21 But you, O GOD my Lord, deal on my behalf for your name's sake; because your steadfast love is good, deliver me!
22 For I am poor and needy, and my heart is stricken within me.
23 I am gone like a shadow at evening; I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees are weak through fasting; my body has become gaunt, with no fat.
25 I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they wag their heads.
26 Help me, O LORD my God! Save me according to your steadfast love!
27 Let them know that this is your hand; you, O LORD, have done it!
28 Let them curse, but you will bless! They arise and are put to shame, but your servant will be glad!
29 May my accusers be clothed with dishonor; may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a cloak!
30 With my mouth I will give great thanks to the LORD; I will praise him in the midst of the throng.
31 For he stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save him from those who condemn his soul to death.
Psalms 110: Sit at My Right Hand A Psalm of David.
1 The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool."
2 The LORD sends forth from Zion your mighty sceptre. Rule in the midst of your enemies!
3 Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours.
4 The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, "You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."
5 The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.
6 He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth.
7 He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore he will lift up his head.
Psalms 111: Great Are the LORD's Works
1 Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
2 Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them.
3 Full of splendour and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever.
4 He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and merciful.
5 He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.
6 He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the inheritance of the nations.
7 The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy;
8 they are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
9 He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name!
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!
Psalms 112: The Righteous Will Never Be Moved
1 Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments!
2 His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
4 Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
5 It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice.
6 For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever.
7 He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.
8 His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
9 He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn is exalted in honour.
10 The wicked man sees it and is angry; he gnashes his teeth and melts away; the desire of the wicked will perish!
Psalms 113: Who Is like the LORD Our God?
1 Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD!
2 Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and forevermore!
3 From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised!
4 The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens!
5 Who is like the LORD our God, who is seated on high,
6 who looks far down on the heavens and the earth?
7 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8 to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people.
9 He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. Praise the LORD!
Things to think about…
1. Could you imagine Psalm 109 being sung as a modern praise song? I struggle to see it happening. David speaks against the wicked and how they deserve judgement and need to be cut off. Yet here it is, in God’s praise book! This Psalm speaks in all likelihood prophesies about the character of Judas Iscariot but could be applied to anyone who speaks out in wickedness against the Lord or His people. Anyone interested in putting this to music? You would have a tough time of it. God punishes sinners, even into eternity. The modern church needs to reflect more on this truth.
2. Psalm 109:8 was the verse used by the apostles to confirm that another had to be appointed to take the place of Judas, Acts 1:20. God does the appointing. This can often be a hard truth to wrestle with when we see evil and heartache, but there is comfort knowing that this world is very much under the control of a sovereign Lord who calls us to Himself.
3. Ultimately Psalm 109 concludes with deliverance, vss 30, 31. David knew that need many times and many times it was met by the Lord’s miraculous hand. Look at this final verse, “For he stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save him from those who condemn his soul to death”. Who is the one who condemns to death. It is actually the Lord Jesus Christ when he says at the judgement “depart from me…”, Luke 13:26-28. This Psalm delivers the one who calls upon Christ for deliverance, this is amazing mercy.
4. Psalm 110 is part of what are called ‘Messianic Psalms’. They speak of Christ or some aspect of His ministry. In this case it is His right to rule and the judgement that will happen within the process of time. Again, imagine singing the words of this song in today’s praise setting. Jesus quoted the first line of this Psalm to the Jews who doubted His Messiahship, Mt 22:45. Jesus infers that because David calls Him Lord, so should we. He is “of the order of Melchizedek”, vs 4and worthy of praise.
5. I love the conclusion of Psalm 111 – ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom’. Having a healthy fear of the Lord is vital in a healthy relationship with Christ. He is not our boyfriend, banker or broker – He is your Saviour from sin. Love, fear, respect and worship Him as a is the only appropriate response.
6. Look at the promises in Ps 112. The righteous will never be moved. But how do we become righteous? The Lord is our righteousness, Jer 33:3. This Psalm gives a right understanding of prosperity, Ps 112:3. Fear God, obey His commandments and you will be blessed.
7. Psalm 113 is a shout of triumph and praise to the God who is over all. The focus starts with time and eternity being His. His above the nations. It then draws down to people who are poor and those that are without children. Infertility occurs among 1 in 6 couples https://fertilitysolutions.com.au/infertility-statistics/ . For Christian couples that suffer with this reality, Christ is a comfort and a shield, Ps 113:9. But the struggle is very real. If you know any couples who are struggling with falling pregnant, pray for them now. Adoption of course is an option and has been used by the Lord to show Christ’s love to children who are taken in and loved by a Christian family! There is a joy in raising children in the Lord regardless of biology. The conclusion of the matter in all of this “Praise the LORD!”, vs 9.
Vision Point for cell groups
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Title was “Time to praise the Lord” – Reading Psalm 95.
1. Brings you the greatest moments of joy, exultation – even to the point of highest celebration and praise. Where and how does your praise of the Lord rank with this?
2. The Israelites saw amazing miracles before leaving Egypt, then the Red Sea parted for them. But then they complained about not getting water. Explain the absurdity of this? How can we do the same thing?
3. Continued in the wilderness for 40 years, that’s where they stayed. They didn’t make it into Canaan because of unbelief and the subsequent immoral behaviours. Earth is our wilderness, we are just passing through. Explain how we even as Christians can go in circles without ever moving on.
4. Jesus is our final destination. He is our Shepherd, we are led by Him. Where is He leading you in ministry, areas of service?
Prayer Points
1. Carols service 18th December – Family fun Day afternoon/evening 3pm-7pm.
2. Christmas Day Service 25th Dec – on a Sunday this year – service will start at 9:00am.
3. Pray for the leadership of our country.
4. Pray for the people of Iran and Ukraine.
5. The right choice for a full time Youth and Young Adults Pastor to start Jan 2023 and the finances to support them.
6. Health of Ross Goltz
7. More young families and youth into the church.
8. Ministry leaders within the church.
9. Our One for Israel ministry.
10. Pray for other building projects – café roof, the repair of the house roof.
11. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to remain and increase.
Praise Points
1. More visitors on Sunday – pray they remain engaged with the church.
2. Our AGM and discussion moving forward with respect to the Youth and young adults pastor position.
3. The faithful service of Ross Goltz for 9 years as CBC’s treasurer!
4. Worship on Sunday – Paul. Great job on your own. Thanks Melinda on sound. Thankyou, Fiona Maddison and Kayla in café. Thankyou for those who welcomed at the door.
5. All those who faithfully serve in ministries, Worship, Sound/Technical/Kids Church/ Cell Groups/Admin - Bulletins/Finances/Property/Welcoming/Spiritual Leadership/Cafe
6. Joy, peace and grace we see at CBC. Thankyou Lord
Announcements
1. Family fun day/Carols night 3-7pm 18th Dec – Book it in.
2. Christmas Day service – 9am Dec 25th.
3. Remember to check your duty rosters.
4. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
5. Tune in again this week on our youtube page. Subscribe to the CBC channel Chuwar Baptist YouTube channel.
