It’s not a secret that we live in a world that is dominated by evil. It seems that we are constantly being told of a new act of violence or another instance of incredible wickedness. As we consider the evil that is all around us we should desire to understand these things through the proper lens. How should we consider the wickedness of our world? How should we think about God and His judgment of those who oppose Him? How do we continue to trust God when wickedness seems to abound?

We all know what it’s like to allow sin to overtake us. We know what it’s like to find ourselves walking in sin and then unsure how to repent. We know we should confess our sins, but our temptation is to ignore them or hide them or cover them up. This is the story of David in 2 Samuel 11. In 2 Samuel 11 we have the account of David’s sin with Bathsheba and then his attempt to cover his sin

In this sermon we walk from Genesis to Revelation considering the plan of God and His Kingdom.

As we come to Psalm 48 we read a description of a city. The city is beautiful, strong, secure and a source of joy. Throughout the Psalm we have glimpses of the city and even an invitation to walk through and take it all in. But, while the Psalm has a lot to say about this city the main focus of the Psalm is not really the city, but the Great King of the city. As the Psalmist writes he describes Jerusalem, but more importantly he points us toward the God of Jerusalem and His care for those who are His. Psalm 48 is a call for the praise of God, the Great King of the City and a reminder of the safety and care that He provides for His people now and in the future eternal City of God.

In 1527, ten years after the start of the Reformation Martin Luther, inspired by Psalm 46 wrote the lyrics to a song that has been sung by the people of God for almost 500 years: “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.” This rich song was Luther’s attempt to put into words the blessed truth that the Psalmist is declaring: Our God is a sure and certain refuge and He is always present with His people. Psalm 46 powerfully and effectively conveys this truth: No matter what happens, no matter what life brings, we are safe in the care of God. Even when the earth falls out from under our feet; even when chaos surrounds us; God is our refuge, our protector and our safe shelter.

In Psalm 40 we find David recalling a time in his life when he needed to be rescued. He describes being stuck in a muddy pit. The pit is so high that he can’t reach the top and on his own he will never escape. But the Psalm is written in hindsight. David has cried out to God and God had saved Him and Psalm 40 describes David’s response to this incredible deliverance. Spiritually we should be able to identify with David’s situation. The Scriptures teach that we are all born in a hopeless situation, cursed by sin. But, for those who trust in God through Christ salvation is available. As we go to Psalm 40 we see how David responds to his deliverance and in many ways it should inform the way we respond to our own salvation.

While this is not necessarily a Father’s Day sermon there is a sense in which I can more fully understand Psalm 39 because I have a good dad. Psalm 39 is a response to the discipline of God. The discipline of God is often misunderstood but the Scriptures are clear that God’s discipline is motivated by His love for us and His desire to see us grow in holiness (Hebrews 12:7-11). This is a truth that I can more fully understand because I have a dad who modeled loving discipline. In Psalm 39 we have David during a time when he’s experiencing God’s discipline but he doesn’t necessary see it as loving; quite frankly, he’s frustrated by it. In the Psalm we hear some of that frustration as David responds to God’s discipline. David trusts God, but he’s also very honest about the severity of God’s discipline and his desire for relief.

Living the Christian life isn’t easy. The calling to pursue holiness is not for the weak, but by God’s grace we can fight sin and strive to please Him trusting that He will bless our efforts. But at times it can seem like those outside of Christ are the ones receiving the blessings. Why do those who care nothing of God seem to prosper while the righteous suffer? As David writes Psalm 37 he is writing to those who are watching the prosperity of the wicked and are tempted to frustration or envy. Psalm 37 is a wisdom Psalm and is organized as an acrostic. It reads like a series of proverbs, but they are all bound together making this point: The people of God must continue to trust Him. We must not be shortsighted, in the end the wicked will be judged and the righteous will be blessed.

As the people of God we often speak of the goodness of God. We have a refrain: God is good, all the time, and all the time, God is good. But I think if we are honest, we have all had moments when we have been tempted to doubt. Is God truly good? Does He truly do good all of the time? Psalm 34 is a Psalm of praise and a Psalm of thanksgiving, but it’s also a Psalm of invitation. As David writes Psalm 34 he has recently been saved from a situation where death seemed likely (see 1 Samuel 21). Once again David was saved and he is full of praise for God. But David also knows that there are others who are suffering, others who are afflicted and who may doubt God’s care. And so the central appeal is this: Taste and see the goodness of God. You won’t be disappointed. God is faithful and can be trusted. Taste and see that God is good.

In Genesis 1-2 we have a description of life in the Garden of Eden prior to the fall. Adam and Eve have everything they need and they are living in intimate fellowship with God. But everything changes when the serpent comes with his deceitful ways. Adam and Eve choose to disobey God. They sin and their sin causes separation, guilt and shame. We are all very familiar with the shame and guilt that come from sin. As David writes Psalm 32 he describes the pain of an unrepentant heart. But, while David wants us to recognize the anguish of living in sin, the primary point of the Psalm is the joy of forgiveness. Forgiveness is available.