Derrick Trent - Give Thanks to the Lord (full service)

4 Give to them what they have done to others. According to their evil actions, according to the deeds of their hands, punish them. Repay to them what they deserve.

5 Because they do not recognize the works of the Lord or the deeds of his hands, he will tear them down and not build them up.

6 Blessed be the Lord, because he has heard the sound of my plea for mercy.

7 The Lord is my strength and my shield. In him my heart trusts, and I am helped. My heart also celebrates. With my song I will give thanks to him.

8 The Lord is their strength. He is a stronghold of salvation for his anointed king.

9 Save your people, and bless the people that belong to you. Shepherd them, and carry them forever.

You may be seated.

In the year 1621

the first Thanksgiving Day

was celebrated

in America.

90 Native Americans

& 53 Pilgrim’s

gathered for

a 3-day-feast

to give thanks

for a good harvest.

242 years later

in 1863

President Abraham Lincoln

proclaimed a national day of:

"Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father

who dwells in the Heavens..."

Since then

Thanksgiving has been

a national holiday

celebrated at the end

of November.

Later this week

we’ll gather

w/ loved ones

to celebrate this holiday.

& offering thanksgiving

& praise

to our beneficent

Heavenly Father

shld be our focus.

The Psalm

we just read

is one of many songs

of thanksgiving

to help us do that.

At the end

of Psalm 28:7

Psalm 28:7 (EHV)

7 My heart...celebrates. With my song I will give thanks to him.

David wants us

to celebrate

& give thanks

to the Lord w/ Him.

So in this Psalm

David shows us

at least 3 reasons

We shld give thanks

to the Lord.

PRAYER

Let’s pray.

Lord we thank You

for the gift

of your Word.

Open our ears

to hear

& understand

the truth.

Speak to our hearts

& strengthen our wills

that we may serve You

Now & always.

In Jesus name.

Amen.

[Transition:

The 1st reason.

We shld give thanks

to the Lord is…]

1. Give thanks to the Lord because He is our HELPER.

In Psalm 28:1

Psalm 28:1 (EHV)

1 O Lord, I keep calling to you.

In verse 2

David says

Psalm 28:2 (EHV)

2 Hear the sound of my plea for mercy when I cry out to you, when I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary.

& in verse 6...

David says

Psalm 28:6 (EHV)

6 Blessed be the Lord, because he has heard the sound of my plea for mercy.

David blesses the Lord—

He praises the Lord—

Bcs the Lord hears

David’s constant

pleas for mercy.

Your translation may say:

“He has heard

“my supplications.”

The EHV gives us

the meaning

of the word

supplication.

When we

supplicate someone

We’re pleading

w/ them

for mercy.

Now

What do you think abt

When you hear

of someone pleading

for “mercy”?

You probably picture

someone whose

done something wrong

& they’re pleading

w/ someone

to be lenient

on them.

To give them

less than

what they deserve

for crimes

they’ve committed.

& the word ‘mercy’

can carry

that idea.

But the word “mercy”

Means so much more

in the Scriptures.

In the Scriptures

a plea for mercy

Is very often a plea

for divine help

& healing.

ILLUSTRATION

We see this illustrated

In the story

of a Canaanite woman

in Matthew 15:22-28.

Matthew tells us...

Matthew 15:21–28 (EHV)

21 Jesus left that place and withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon.

22 There a Canaanite woman from that territory came and kept crying out, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! A demon is severely tormenting my daughter!”

23 But he did not answer her a word. His disciples came and pleaded, “Send her away, because she keeps crying out after us.”

24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

25 But she came and knelt in front of him, saying, “Lord, help me.”

26 He answered her, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to their little dogs.”

27 “Yes, Lord,” she said, “yet their little dogs also eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”

28 Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, your faith is great! It will be done for you, just as you desire.” And her daughter was healed at that very hour.

Notice this woman

kept crying out

to the Lord

to have mercy on her.

She’s not saying

“Lord

“give me less than

“I deserve

“for my crimes.”

Her cry for mercy

Was a cry

for the Lord Jesus

to help her

by healing

her daughter.

So, a plea for mercy

Is a plea for help

& healing.

We see

another example

of this

In the story

of two blind men

In Matthew 20:30-34.

There Matthew tells us

Matthew 20:30–34 (EHV)

30 There were two blind men sitting by the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by, they shouted, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!”

31 The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be quiet. But they shouted even louder, “Have mercy on us, Lord, Son of David!”

32 Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?”

33 They told him, “Lord, open our eyes.”

34 Jesus was moved with compassion and touched their eyes. Immediately they regained their sight, and they followed him.

Again we see

these two blind men

Were not

pleading w/Jesus

to give them less than

they deserve.

Their plea for mercy

was a plea for Jesus

To help them

By healing them

of their blindness.

So,

A plea for mercy

is a plea

for help & healing.

& just like

the Canaanite women—

just like

the two blind men—

& like so many others

Who came to Jesus

for help

& healing—

When David pleads

w/ the Lord

to have mercy on Him

He’s pleading

w/ the Lord

to help Him.

As David says

in the second part

of Psalm 28:7...

Psalm 28:7 (EHV)

7 In him my heart trusts, and I am helped.

David trusts in the Lord

as His helper.

So He keeps crying out

to the Lord

to have mercy on Him.

& when David calls

to the Lord for help

& healing

He’s confident

The Lord

hears his pleas

for mercy.

& when we

call to the Lord

for help & healing

We can be confident

the Lord hears

our pleas for mercy.

APPLICATON

How many of us:

need the Lord’s help

this morning?

How many of us

need the Lord’s healing?

The answer is:

All of us.

We all need

the Lord’s help.

& healing

In some sense

this morning.

Whether that be

physically

or spiritually.

We all

constantly need

the Lord’s mercy.

So, like David

We shld all

keep pleading

w/ the Lord

for mercy.

& expect Him:

To hear us;

To help us;

To heal us.

The Lord is

our Helper.

& for that

we shld

be thankful.

So, let’s give thanks

to the Lord

bcs He is

our Helper.

& one way:

The Lord helps

His ppl

Is by giving us

His strength.

[Transition: & that’s

the 2nd reason

We shld give thanks

to the Lord.]

2. Give thanks to the Lord because He is our STRENGTH.

In Psalm 28:7

David says:

Psalm 28:7 (EHV)

7 The Lord is my strength...

& in Psalm 28:8

David says

of the Lord’s ppl

Psalm 28:8 (EHV)

8 The Lord is their strength. He is a stronghold of salvation for his anointed king.

The Lord is our strength

Both individually

& corporately.

He’s my strength

your strength

our strength.

The Lord’s strength

is the Lord’s pwr.

It’s God’s grace

at work

In & among

His ppl.

This infinite

divine pwr

The Lord infuses us w/

Thru His

life-giving Spirit.

It’s this pwr

Paul has in mind

in Ephesians 1:17-21...

when he says

he keeps praying...

Ephesians 1:17–21 (EHV)

17 I keep praying that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, will give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in knowing Christ fully.

18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know...

19 ...just how surpassingly great his power is for us who believe.

20 It is as great as the working of his mighty strength, which God worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,

21 far above all rule, authority, power, and dominion, and above every name that is given, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

The Lord’s strength

is so surpassingly great

we need the HS

to reveal it to us.

God’s mighty strength—

God’s divine energy—

was at work in Christ

& is now at work in us

who belong to Christ.

The same divine energy

that raised Jesus

frm the grave.

The same divine energy

That exalted Jesus

to the right hand

of the Father

in heavenly places.

That same divine energy

is available to us

Thru the grace

of the HS

Who is at work

in us.

& like Paul:

We need to keep praying

for the Lord to give us

Wisdom & revelation

Frm the Spirit

To know

this pwr.

Not just to know

that God is powerful

But to know

God’s pwr

thru experience.

APPLICATION

We need

the Lord’s grace—

to strengthen us

to live for Him

on a daily basis.

Like David—

We all go thru

tough trials.

Terrible Temptations

beat on us

every day.

We often find ourselves

worn out &

wounded

frm our battle

w/ evil forces

in this dark world

that try to destroy us.

& in the middle of

our trials

& temptations

We tend to try

to fight

in our own strength.

But we need to learn

It’s when we’re

at our weakest

that God’s grace—

God’s strength—

is made perfect

in us.

So when we’re

at our weakest

we need to learn

to keep crying out

to the Lord

for His mercy.

So that thru His

Surpassing strength

we can conquer

our enemies

Live lives

that are worthy

of the Lord

& please Him

in every way.

The Lord is

the strength

of His ppl.

& for that

We shld

be thankful.

So, let’s give thanks

to the Lord

bcs He is

our Strength.

[Transition:

& let’s also

give thanks

To the Lord

For a 3rd

& final reason.]

3. Give thanks to the Lord because He is our SALVATION.

In the 2nd part of

Psalm 28:7

David says:

Psalm 28:7 (EHV)

7 The Lord is...my shield.

& in the 2nd part

of Psalm 28:8...

David says

of the Lord

Psalm 28:8 (EHV)

8 He is a stronghold of salvation for his anointed king.

Both of these verses

are ways of assuring us

The Lord will

save his faithful ppl.

What’s the purpose

of a shield?

A shield is

for protection

especially frm

enemy attack.

The Lord shields His ppl.

He wraps Himself

around His ppl.

To guard us.

As David says

in Psalm 3:3

Psalm 3:3 (NIV)

3 ...you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high.

The Lord is a shield

around His ppl.

This means

He protects us

on every side.

He’s in front of us.

He’s behind us.

He’s above

& below us.

He’s got us covered

frm all sides.

In the other image

David uses

of the Lord

as a stronghold

of salvation

David assures us

the Lord is

a fortress.

A place where

we’re safe

& secure.

A place where

fears fade away.

A place where

our enemies

cannot harm us.

The Lord is that place

for His

faithful ppl.

We have nothing

or no one to fear

when the Lord is

our SALVATION.

If we stay

in the stronghold

of the Lord’s salvation.

If we remain under

the Lord’s protection

of the Lord’s

saving shield;

If continue

to walk

w/ the Lord.

& to love the Lord

By obeying

His commandments;

Then our salvation

is secure

& no enemy

will ever break thru

& defeat us.

The Lord will keep us

safe & secure.

As David prays

on behalf of the Lord’s ppl

in Psalm 28:9...

Psalm 28:9 (EHV)

9 Save your people, and bless the people that belong to you. Shepherd them, and carry them forever.

How wld you like to have

The Wisdom of the ages

Leading you;

Guiding your

every decision;

Guaranteeing you

always go

the right way;

& ensuring you reach

the right destination?

That’s what the Lord is

for His faithful ppl.

The Lord Jesus is

the Good Shepherd.

& his faithful ppl

are His sheep.

& as our Good Shepherd

Jesus does for us

all the things

We’ve already talked abt:

Jesus helps

His sheep.

Jesus strengthens

His sheep.

Jesus protects

His sheep.

& He does all of this

for the salvation

of His sheep.

If we follow Jesus

He will make sure

we always

go the right way.

He will make sure

we do what’s right.

He will lead us safely

into His eternal kingdom

where we have

eternal fellowship

w/ Him

& His Father.

Listen to the

wonderful promise

Jesus gives His sheep

in John 10:27-29.

Jesus says

John 10:27–29 (EHV)

27 My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.

28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.

29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.

You’ll often here

untaught

& unstable ministers

misuse this passage

to assure ppl

in the Church

that our salvation

is eternally secure

no matter what we do.

But the promise

of security

& eternal life

is only for those

who are actively hearing

the voice of Jesus

& actively following Him.

No one will ever

snatch an obedient

sheep out of Jesus

or the Father’s

hands.

Why?

Bcs Jesus is the salvation

of those who

faithfully follow Him.

So how do we know

we’re faithfully

following Jesus?

How do we know

we’re one of His sheep?

Jesus tells us

in John 8:12...

Jesus says:

John 8:12 (EHV)

12 “I am the Light of the World. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

When we follow Jesus

He will always lead us

to walk in the light

as He

is in the light.

We’ll walk

as He walked.

We’ll live

as He lived.

We’ll love God

& love others

as Jesus did.

We’ll live

a holy life

In obedience

to God’s commands

thru the pwr

of the HS.

Jesus will lead us

to walk away frm

the darkness

of sin in this world.

When the Lord

is our Shepherd

He will lead us

in the paths of righteousness

for His names sake.

& no matter

what happens

even thru the

darkest times

of our lives.

Thru the strongest attacks

of our enemies

When the Lord

is our Shepherd

we’re never alone.

We’re not helpless.

& we’re not hopeless.

The Lord is

always w/us.

& w/ His rod

He protects us

With His staff

He directs us.

When we follow

the Lord Jesus

The dangers

are still there;

The Darkness

of this world

is still there;

Our enemies

will still attack us;

But if we’ll follow

the Lord Jesus

He will be

our salvation

from all our enemies.

As David reminds

the Lord’s ppl

at the end of

Psalm 28:9...

the Lord will...

Psalm 28:9 (EHV)

9 Shepherd them, and carry them forever.

This is an image

of the Lord Jesus

Tenderly caring

for the Lord’s

faithful ppl.

Picking us up

in His arms.

& carrying us

when we’re wounded

& too weak

to walk.

We see this picture

of the Lord Jesus

several times

in the OT.

For example:

in Deuteronomy 1:30-31

Moses reminds

the Lord’s ppl

how the Lord

took care of them

when he led them

out of Egypt.

Moses says:

Deuteronomy 1:30–31 (EHV)

30 “The Lord your God, who is going ahead of you, will fight for you, exactly as he did for you in Egypt, right before your very eyes,

31 and just as he did in the wilderness, where you saw that the Lord your God carried you as a man carries his son, on the entire way that you walked until you came to this place.”

& in

Deuteronomy 32:10-12

we read abt

how the Lord

Deuteronomy 32:10–12 (NLT)

10 ...surrounded [His people] and watched over them; he guarded them as he would guard his own eyes.

11 Like an eagle that rouses her chicks and hovers over her young, so he spread his wings to take them up and carried them safely on his pinions.

12 The Lord alone guided them; they followed no foreign gods.

When the Lord

is our Shepherd

He cares for us.

He fights for us.

He surrounds us.

He watches over us.

He protects us.

He guards us.

He carries us

safely into salvation.

Like a loving Father

cares for & carries

his children.

Like an eagle

cares for

& carries her young

Our loving Lord Jesus

Our Shepherd

cares for

& carries His sheep

to salvation.

The Lord

is our Salvation.

& for that

we shld be thankful.

Let’s give thanks

to the Lord

Bcs He is

our Salvation.

CONCLUSION

Now, as we close:

As we gather for

Thanksgiving later

this week:

Let’s remember

the many reasons

we have to give thanks

to the Lord.

& let’s especially remember

the three reasons

David give us

in Psalm 28.

W/ David

Let’s celebrate

& give thanks

to the Lord

because He is our

Helper.

Let’s constantly

cry out to him

to have mercy on us.

Let’s give thanks

to the Lord

Bcs He is our Strength.

Let’s keep asking

the Lord to show us

the greatness

of the Lord’s surpassing

strength for us

who believe.

& Let’s give thanks

to the Lord

Bcs He is our Salvation.

Let’s keep following

the voice

of our Good Shepherd.

& if we do that

He assures us

He will lead us

into eternal life

in His eternal kingdom.

For those

& 10,000 other reasons

today & always

Let’s Give Thanks

to the Lord.

PRAYER

Let’s all stand

for prayer.

Father, we thank You

For sending your Son

to be our Helper.

We thank you for the surpassing strength

We have thru our

relationship w/Him.

We thank you Lord Jesus

for being our Salvation—

For being the One

Who protects us…

frm all our enemies

& who cares for

& carries us

into the many blessings

You promise those…

who follow You.

Holy Spirit

Help us remember these

& the many other reasons

We shld be thankful.

& help us

express our thankfulness.

In our words

In our works.

& in our worship.

In the name of Jesus

we pray.

Amen.

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