The Trails Church

Micah 3 brings us into the darkest corner of the prophet’s message. The lives the people had built were collapsing, their worship corrupted by sin, and their nation on the brink of being swept away by a storm of judgment. Yet all is not lost. We have already seen that everyone 3 who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. And even here, a light shines in the darkness— a prophet declaring the Word of God to the people of God, urging them to turn back to Him in repentance and faith.

If the whole of Scripture tells “A Story of Sin and Salvation,” Micah 2 summarizes it in a single scene. Here we find the hearts and lives of God’s people running headlong in rebellion, even as his Word calls them to repent and return. Yet, like the great narrative of the Bible, this chapter does not leave us without hope—but calls us to hope in the God who saves.

In the opening verses of Micah we are met with an introduction to both “The Message and the Messenger” of this book. While we don’t hear all the parts of the sermon in chapter one, we are given a clear map that will help us chart the rest of the course.

In Psalm 71:14-24 we come to the second half of this “Life Full of Prayer and Praise.” Last week we looked at the first 14 and a half verses under the heading “Lessons in a Life of Prayer.” Today we pick up where we left off and will look at “Reasons for a Life of Praise.” My prayer is that these same reasons would take root in us, shaping our own worship and deepening our joy in the Lord.

Psalm 71 is the song of a seasoned saint who has known well the steadfast love and abundant mercy of God through life. From youth, he was known the ways of the Lord; and over time that knowledge grew into a deep, personal relationship. Even through trials remain, he has learned the joys of A Life Full of Prayer and Praise.

In Psalm 70, We will see David sing a song-prayer. If there is one thing that we have certainly learned from David throughout the Psalms, it's that David's rescuer is not Superman. David's refuge, his Redeemer is God. It is God who has come through, time and time again for David.

Psalm 69 is titled Save Me, O God and we find the author in deep distress and despair. This situation is not caused by war or physical hardship, but by words. The thoughts and words spewed by others bring shame upon David. You remember a few weeks ago in Psalm 64, where the David’s enemies “whet their tongues like swords, who aim bitter words like arrows?” It appears a similar situation is happening here. This Psalm is full of emotion as David is crying out, waiting on a response from God. And in this crying out and waiting, he reminds himself to put his hope in a holy and just God who will respond at the correct time and in an appropriate way.

Psalm 68 is Israel’s victory march celebrating God’s provision for his people and his defeat of their enemies. Most of this psalm is about what the Lord has already done (or will do). But dispersed throughout these 35 verses is one singular command that repeats over and over: to sing.

Psalm 67 shows that God’s blessing rests on His people so that his ways might be known and his glory magnified among the nations of the world! It teaches us to pray joy-filled, God-centered, gospel-advancing prayers for our lives and our church.