Harvest Psalm
Reading: Psalm 65
Ill:
A corny joke for harvest!
• A man is driving down a country road;
• When he spots a farmer standing in the middle of a huge field of grass.
• He pulls the car over to the side of the road;
• And notices that the farmer is just standing there, doing nothing, looking at nothing.
• The man gets out of the car, walks all the way out to the farmer and asks him,
• "Ah excuse me mister, but what are you doing?"
• The farmer replies, "I’m trying to win a Nobel Prize."
• "How?" asks the man, puzzled.
• The farmer replies,
• "Well I heard they give the Nobel Prize to people who are out standing in their field."
Ill:
• A farmer in the country has a watermelon patch;
• And upon inspection;
• He discovers that some of the local kids have been helping themselves to a feast.
• So the farmer thinks of ways to discourage these help yourself thieves;
• After much thought he decides to put up a sign that reads
• "WARNING; ONE OF THESE WATERMELONS CONTAINS CYANIDE!”
• The farmer returns a week later;
• To his delight he discovers that none of the watermelons have been eaten,
• But to his horror he finds another sign that reads,
• "NOW THERE ARE TWO!"
This morning I want to divide this Psalm into three sections:
(1). GOD OF GRACE (vs 1-4)
1 Praise awaits you, O God, in Zion;
to you our vows will be fulfilled.
2 O you who hear prayer,
to you all men will come.
3 When we were overwhelmed by sins,
you forgave our transgressions.
4 Blessed are those you choose
and bring near to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,
of your holy temple.
Note:
• The expression: “Praise awaits you”.
• It is a difficult phrase to translate into English.
(1).
• It literally means “To you, silence [is] praise”);
• It may imply “silence is praise” - and it may mean to fall silent before God.
• Ill: Met your hero or someone like the Queen – your mind might go blank leaving you speechless.
• So it can mean to fall silent before God.
• As you reflect on the wonder & majesty of his presence.
(2).
• The C.E.V. translates the phrase:
• “Our God, you deserve praise in Zion”
• Zion is a term that most often refers to Jerusalem and, by extension, the Biblical land of Israel.
So straight away in this Psalm is the reminder that God deserves our praise:
Ill:
• Last night with the young people I reminded them exactly why;
• See for yourselves - DVD Clip - “Give thanks to the Lord”.
• David, in this psalm, talks about how God blesses us and why God is worthy of praise,
• Scan the Psalm and see the many reasons given.
• Verse 2: Praise him because He hears prayers.
• Verse 3: Praise him because He forgives sins.
• Verse 4: Praise him because He chooses people to dwell in His presence.
• Verse 5: Praise him because He answers prayer.
• Verse 5: Praise him because He delivers.
• Verse 5: Praise him because He saves.
• Verse 6: Praise him because He creates the mountains.
• Verse 6: Praise him because He demonstrates strength.
• Verse 7: Praise him because He calms the seas.
• Verse 7: Praise him because He calms the nations.
• Verse 8: Praise him because He strikes the nations with awe.
• Verse 8: Praise him because He inspires praise of the nations.
• Verses 9-10: Praise him because He sends rain on the earth.
• Verse 9: Praise him because Makes the earth fertile.
• Verse 9: Praise him because He makes grain grow.
• Verses 9-10: Praise him because He ripens crops.
• Verse 11: Praise him because He blesses the annual cycle.
• Verse 11: Praise him because He gives abundance.
• Verses 12-13: Praise him because He provides rich pasture.
Now out of those 19 things mentioned I want to dwell on verse 3:
“When we were overwhelmed by sins,
you forgave our transgressions”.
Question: What is the difference between ‘sins’ and ‘transgressions’?
Answer: them in reverse order:
(1). “TRANSGRESSION”:
• "Transgression" is:
• When we "go beyond or overstep some boundary or limit";
• In everyday situations we transgress the law of the lands when we break the speed limit.
• e.g. Motorway the limit is 70 to go beyond that is to transgress the law of the land.
Ill:
Old boy who bought himself a top range BMW.
• Policeman said:
• “You were braking the limit, you refused to slow down when you saw my blue lights,
• give me one reason why I should let you off”
• The old boy thought for a moment and replied:
• “30 yrs ago my wife ran off with a policeman;
• And just for a moment I thought you were bringing her back!”
• In everyday situations we transgress the law of the lands when we break the speed limit.
• e.g. Motorway the limit is 70 to go beyond that is to transgress the law of the land.
• In Bible terms we transgress;
• When we break the law of God e.g. breaking one of the 10 commandments.
• e.g. If I take God’s name in vain or if I steal – I have transgressed God’s law.
(2). "SIN".
Ill:
• I like the story of the preacher who said;
• “Would anyone here like to admit that they love sin?”
• The Church went quiet and everyone looked down.
• Everyone except one old lady – a godly old lady – a pillar of the Church.
• She nervously raised her hand.
• The preacher was shocked and said to her;
• “Gladys’s, are you telling this Church that you love sin?”
• She replied;
• “Sin…ooh I thought you said gin!”
The word ‘sin’ in the Bible means “to miss the mark.”
ill;
• In football if a player aims for the goal and misses,
• Question: is the match score affected? The answer of course is no!
• He has missed the goal, he missed the mark at which he was aiming.
• Therefore he has sinned!
• Note: It doesn’t matter if he missed by 2 inches or 2 feet – he’s still missed!
• ill: Missing a train 1 minute or by 1 hour – you have still missed it!
Note:
• The word ‘sin’ in the Bible means “to miss the mark.”
• We as human beings have failed to live up to God’s standards (honest even our own)
Now here is where the word ‘grace’ comes in to play:
• The God of the Bible who ought to punish us.
• After all in all areas of life if you transgress the rules you expect punishment.
• ill: Children get ‘grounded’ or ‘loss of pocket money’ etc.
• ill: School you get detention or expelled – MR F’s days - 6 of best or 1,000 lines!
• ill: Work – you may get an official warning and then possibly the sack.
• ill: In society you may be arrested and end up in court.
• The God of the Bible who ought to punish us.
• Instead wishes to deal with us in ‘grace’.
• Look at verse 3:
• “When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions”.
• ‘Grace’ means; ‘not getting what you deserve’.
• We deserve punishment but instead we get forgiveness.
• Quote: Someone has said,
• “Grace is everything for nothing to those who don’t deserve anything.”
Ill:
• Fragile flower – full of beauty;
• But it only takes a little bit of frost to kill it off.
• Grace is like a fragile flower – full of beauty;
• But it only takes a little bit of good works/self effort to kill it off.
• As soon as you add anything to grace it no longer remains grace!
• It is complete in its self!
Quote: Ephesians chapter 2 verse 8:
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - 9not by works, so that no one can boast”
(2). GOD OF MIGHT (vv. 5-8)
You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness,
O God our Saviour,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas,
6 who formed the mountains by your power,
having armed yourself with strength,
7 who stilled the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
and the turmoil of the nations.
8 Those living far away fear your wonders;
where morning dawns and evening fades
you call forth songs of joy.
This section of the Psalm emphases to us that God is a God of might;
• He is the Lord of nature;
• He is the hope of mankind.
• The Psalmist talks about God creating the mountains;
• Mountains, which are breath taking/awesome, secure and unmovable.
• He talks about the sea that roars with all its power;
• Again he is talking about something we cannot conquer!
• ill: The ocean is littered with ships who fought the stormy sea and lost!
• Now here is the point:
• That which is unmovable and unconquerable are both subject to their Creator.
• Nature, regardless how impressive and daunting,
• Is ultimately under the control of the God of might.
• The Psalms (especially the O.T.) say look and learn;
• God’s fingerprints are all over creation!
• O.T. always points to creation.
• N.T. points to the resurrection!
Ill:
DVD – Indescribable.
ill:
• Two astronauts – Psalm 8 story
• Quote: Fredrick Longbridge
This section of the Psalm emphases to us that God is a God of might;
• He is the Lord of nature;
• He is the hope of mankind.
(3). GOD OF PLENTY (vv.9-13)
You care for the land and water it;
you enrich it abundantly.
The streams of God are filled with water
to provide the people with grain,
for so you have ordained it. [c]
10 You drench its furrows
and level its ridges;
you soften it with showers
and bless its crops.
11 You crown the year with your bounty,
and your carts overflow with abundance.
12 The grasslands of the desert overflow;
the hills are clothed with gladness.
13 The meadows are covered with flocks
and the valleys are mantled with grain;
they shout for joy and sing.
The Psalmist uses great imagery in these verses:
• He begins in verses 9-11 with an logical description of nature.
• These are the facts that happen every season.
• And then in verses 12-13 his description changes from analytical to poetic refrain,
• And he says; the fields put on their finest clothes and celebrate together.
These verses are a reminder that God is ‘The God of Plenty’:
• He provides all that the earth needs to bring forth crops;
• He has provided all the world needs to feed its inhabitants.
Quote:
• World Hunger.org.
• The world produces enough food to feed everyone.
• World agriculture produces 17 percent more calories per person today;
• Than it did 30 years ago, despite a 70 percent population increase.
• Today the world has enough food to feed everyone,
• Yet an estimated 854 million people worldwide are still undernourished.
• Poverty—not food availability—is the major driver of food insecurity.
• In other words the haves – have and the don’t haves – don’t!
• So don’t blame God for the fact 854 million people are undernourished;
• He has provided – but human beings just don’t share it!
This Psalm is a reminder that God has blessed us and blessed us abundantly:
• That is seen especially true in our western world.
• We all hear enjoy clean water, good food and so many other blessings.
Quote:
“Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done”.
Ill:
• Poem/monologue.
• The following is also something to ponder:
• If you woke up this morning with more health than illness...
• You are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.
• If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment,
• The agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation ...
• You are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
• If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death...
• You are more blessed than three billion people in the world..
• If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep...you are richer than 75% of this world.
• If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace ...
• You are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.
• If you can read your Bible:
• You are more blessed than the 80% of the world’s people and furthermore,
• You are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.
Note:
• I did not read out those figures to make you feel guilty;
• In fact the opposite reason – to show you how blessed you are!
• But……don’t forget teaches the Bible;
• God blesses us that we might bless others!
• Luke chapter 12 verse 48: “To whom much is given much will be required”
• We are accountable for the knowledge, resources, abilities, etc.
• That God has blessed us with.
• If we have been given much, then He expects that much more from us.
Ill:
Bruce Barton & the 2 seas.
In conclusion:
The Psalm divides into three sections:
• (1). God of grace (vs 1-4);
• (2). God of might (vs 5-8);
• (3). God of plenty (vs 9-13).
• (1). God of grace (vs 1-4);
• We all need God’s forgiveness – that is why he sent Jesus!
Ill:
• If our greatest need had been information,
• God would have sent us an educator.
• If your greatest need had been technology,
• God would have sent us a scientist.
• If our greatest need had been money,
• God would have sent us an economist.
• If our greatest need had been pleasure,
• God would have sent us an entertainer.
• But our greatest need was forgiveness,
• So God sent us a Saviour.
• (2). God of might (vs 5-8);
• God wants to demonstrate his power in the life of his people.
Ill:
• Invitation to the Jewish people (verse 1);
• Invitation to the rest of the world (verse 8)
• God’s plan according to the Old Testament was;
• That through Israel, this one nation he would bless all nations!
• Once again that principle saw its greatest fulfilment in Jesus Christ;
• Through this one Jewish man – salvation is available to all who receive him.
Ill:
John chapter 1 verse 11:
“He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.”
The Message:
He was in the world,
the world was there through him,
and yet the world didn’t even notice.
He came to his own people,
but they didn’t want him.
But whoever did want him,
who believed he was who he claimed
and would do what he said,
He made to be their true selves,
their child-of-God selves.
These are the God-begotten,
not blood-begotten,
not flesh-begotten,
not sex-begotten.
• (3). God of plenty (vs 9-13).
• Jesus said; “I have come that you might have life in all its fullness”
• Not just existence but LIFE!
• Physical & spiritual.
