The Lord was ready to save me (ii) (Quality: Very good)

[0:00] With the Lord's help this evening, I will venture to read again from the 38th chapter of Isaiah, verse 20.

[0:14] Isaiah chapter 38, verse 20. The Lord was ready to save me. Therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord.

[0:34] The Lord was ready to save me. Therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord.

[0:47] It is wonderful to prove from an experience of the truth of God that it is true.

[0:59] Not only such truth that we may consider to regard things in general, but truth which may have reference to the nature of God.

[1:16] We spoke at some length this morning on the unchangeability of God when everything else in the world was changing.

[1:29] Everything else in our own lives was changing. The affliction that came upon King Hezekiah suddenly brought a change of circumstances.

[1:40] One moment, so to speak, he was fairly calm and comfortable, even though he was in a dangerous situation. And then the next moment he was in great trouble because the Lord had sent his prophet to speak to him.

[1:55] In very definite words, set thine house in order, for thou shalt die and not live. And when such pronouncements come forth into our own hearts by the command of the Most High, how quickly it may change our circumstances, our feelings, our outlook, and how it may make us cry out unto God that he will have mercy upon us.

[2:22] Despite all the changes that may come into our lives, the changes that may come into our own soul's feelings, the changes that may come in our circumstances, yet God remaineth the same.

[2:41] Despite all the ups and downs of King Hezekiah's life, all his mistakes, all his sins, all his weaknesses, yet these words may be emblazoned in golden letters throughout it all, from eternity to eternity, the Lord was ready to save me.

[3:01] We need salvation continually. We need salvation every day. But has this sweet and blessed truth been impressed upon our hearts from time to time, as it was on the heart of Hezekiah, the Lord was ready to save me.

[3:19] Was ready. He had made provision for salvation. And he was ready to save me at any moment. There was a provision of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ to put away sin.

[3:35] There was a provision of the Holy Spirit in order that we might be instructed and taught, prevented as well as comforted by that same blessed Spirit.

[3:46] And thus, again and again, as our eyes may be opened, we shall see the pertinency and the forcefulness of these words, the Lord was ready to save me.

[3:59] Hezekiah could only speak for himself. You and I must speak for ourselves in respect to this wonderful, important and stabilizing truth.

[4:13] The Lord was ready to save me. Now with the Lord's help this evening, we will endeavor to look at the outcome of the blessed persuasion of this truth in the heart of Hezekiah, and may we say, in our own hearts also.

[4:31] Therefore, we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord. By comparing Scripture with Scripture, sometimes we are able to come to some conclusion relative to the meaning of other Scriptures.

[4:52] One of the reasons for my reading from the 119th Psalm was because of that which is written, recorded in the 54th verse, thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.

[5:10] David made a great deal of the statutes, laws, and testimonies of God. We read in the 19th Psalm that thy testament is our right, converting the soul.

[5:26] What shall we then consider is the meaning of these statutes of the Lord. Reference is sometimes made to our own Parliament and to the various propositions which are put forth and debated upon, and subsequently they become law and are duly assigned by the Queen to that end.

[5:51] And then they are placed on the statute book. Therefore, we may regard the statutes as that which will not easily be revoked.

[6:04] And there are some of those statutes on our statute book which have been there for many, many hundreds of years. Now then, what shall we say with regard to the statute book of our Lord God?

[6:20] The statutes that are there recorded are there from eternity. Now then, the psalmist says, thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.

[6:33] What will be our consolation? What will be our theme if we are to sing in the height of Zion when the Lord brings to our attention this heart-dissolving truth?

[6:47] The Lord was ready to save me. Oh, let us think of what we do sometimes sing. Thy mercy, my God, is the theme of my song, the joy of my heart, and the boast of my tongue.

[7:00] Now then, is not the mercy of God a statute of God? It is one of those immovable things which is eternal in its source and will be eternal in that which issues from it.

[7:17] Hence, we remember that the word of God says that the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting. Now, will this not be a source of consolation and strength to us in the days of our pilgrimage and form at least one of the songs that may be sung?

[7:37] With Hezekiah, therefore, we will sing my songs to the strength instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord. Well now, shall we get tired and weary of singing of the mercy of the Lord?

[7:53] Have we not received the mercies of God continually? Day in and day out, thy mercies are new. Every morning, great is thy faithfulness.

[8:04] Yes, dear Candice, therefore, be considered as one of those points that are written in to the laws of God, to the statutes of God. He will never alter from being a merciful God.

[8:17] This is statutory. It is part of himself. And therefore, he will never for one moment go away from his mercy. Now then, in order that this might be enforced upon the people in the Old Testament, you may recall in the 25th of Exodus, we read, There will I meet with thee from above the mercy seat.

[8:38] And that was a statue from God. There will I meet with thee from above the mercy seat. Now, in looking at this word, The Lord was ready to save me.

[8:49] What was that? By the result of this abiding statute of God, I will be merciful, to whom I will be merciful. And thus, we find it expressed when Hezekiah says, The Lord was ready to save me.

[9:09] Could only be the result of the mercy of God. Nothing more, nothing less. And then, we may also regard the statutes of the Lord as incorporating His faithfulness.

[9:27] Faithfulness. Faithful is He who calleth you, who also will do it. The Lord was ready to save me.

[9:37] On what ground? Because of His faithfulness. In the 89th Psalm, we read about His faithfulness. And He tells us there, that because of His faithfulness, He will not alter the thing that has gone out of His mouth.

[9:59] Nevertheless, of my loving kindness, will I not utterly take from them, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that has gone out of my lips.

[10:12] Once have I sworn by my holiness, that I will not lie unto David. Now then, can we see of the statutes of the Lord in the days of our pilgrimage, along with Hezekiah, when He says, Therefore, we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord.

[10:37] Or do we look at it in regard to our calling of God? Can we see that God has been faithful in our calling? Can we see that God has been faithful all along?

[10:50] We think of several words in the scripture which may direct our attention to God's faithfulness. God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able, but will with every temptation make a way of escape that ye may be able to bear it.

[11:08] God is faithful, by whom ye are called to have fellowship with our Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore, we may rejoice in this abiding statute, and this may well become a part of our songs as we go on our pilgrimage through life.

[11:31] Therefore, we will sing my songs, personal to Hezekiah, personal to you, and personal to me. How can we sing a different song from that which we know by personal experience?

[11:45] The mercy of God, and the faithfulness of God. We may reflect day by day in the various adversities and trials, afflictions, sorrows, temptations that may come upon us.

[12:01] And what shall we say? Will there be no singing? Will there be no singing? Will there not be reason to sing praises and songs unto the Most High?

[12:13] When you come to the end of the book of Psalms, it is astonishing that several psalms are devoted to nothing else but praise. Nothing else but praise.

[12:25] Therefore, we will sing my songs, my songs. If we think also of another word that we read from the 89th Psalm, the loving kindness of God, can we regard this as a statute?

[12:41] Because it speaks to us about God's self. It speaks to us about His unchanging character, His statute, His loving kindness. Samuel Medley gathers up something about this because he wrote a hymn on it, as doubtless you are aware.

[12:57] He begins by saying, Awake my soul in joyful days and sing thy great Redeemer's praise. He justly claims a song from thee, His loving kindness.

[13:08] Oh, how free! And thus, you go on through the hymn, He has various observations on the loving kindness of God. Shall we not join with Samuel Medley sometimes when we see the glory of this truth revealed in our own lives, the Lord was ready to save me to sing of His loving kindness.

[13:32] It is a remarkable word, loving kindness. We may sometimes speak of kindness in respect to people. We may sometimes speak of loving in respect to people.

[13:44] But it is certainly a rare thing, if ever, for loving kindness to be joined together and to be referred to any particular person on the earth. But when we come to consider the greatness and glory of our God, we are well able to accept this great truth and it will inspire a song in our heart when we join these two separate words together and call it loving kindness.

[14:11] greatness. Now we find the same prophet Isaiah here referring in the 63rd chapter to the loving kindnesses.

[14:26] And this is what he says, I will mention, mention, have we such a view of the loving kindnesses of God that the most we can do is to mention them.

[14:37] just a speaker of a particle of their greatness and of their glory. I will mention the loving kindnesses of the Lord and the praises of the Lord according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us and the great goodness toward the house of Israel which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies and according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.

[15:06] For he said, surely they are my people, children that will not lie. So he was their saviour. And we come back to these words, the Lord was ready to save me.

[15:21] Therefore, this engendered the feeling in the heart of Hezekiah. Therefore, we will sing my songs.

[15:33] My songs of the loving kindnesses of God. Would we have to put this in the plural number this evening as we reflect upon all the way the Lord our God has led us to humble us and to prove us and to make us know what was in our hearts that man doth not live by bread only but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.

[15:59] Therefore, we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord. But then, we may also see the stability of things as we may consider a statute of the Lord, His laws being in Himself, of His divine purposes being fulfilled.

[16:33] Now, the Lord evidently revealed to Hezekiah, especially upon the reflection of the affection which abided Him, that the purposes of God were being fulfilled.

[16:46] His purposes were ripe and fast, unfolding every hour, the bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower. The Lord was ready to save me based on His divine purposes, purposes that could only work for our good.

[17:05] Therefore, we will sing my songs, and that the purposes of God will and must work together for good are indeed written, as it were, upon the statute book.

[17:18] They cannot be altered. This is God's word. Whatsoever God doeth, we read, again in the 119th Psalm, is done forever. Is done forever.

[17:30] It cannot be altered, cannot be removed, cannot be overthrown by all the endeavors of men. Now, just bring this into your life and into mine.

[17:45] The purposes of God, therefore, we will sing my songs, my songs, we will sing about God's purposes. Is there any purpose of God manifested in our life?

[18:01] In our lives? Is there any purpose of our being born? Well, there is a purpose, a solemn purpose, in respect to every person that is born.

[18:15] some are born to be saved, and others are vessels fitted to destruction. But what do we say? If we are to include the purposes of God being fulfilled in the singing of my songs, shall we not see the purpose of God manifested in our being called by grace at the appointed time, we do not come to a certain age and then qualify.

[18:49] God may call some very young, and others may go on for years and be almost on the verge of eternity before God calls them.

[19:00] But nonetheless, it is God's purposes being worked out. Now, what do we say? With respect to those that are called young, they may see, because they have eyes to see it, the purposes of God as they go along.

[19:15] But the person that is left to old age before God's purposes are manifested, will they be able to trace the purposes of God? Why indeed they will, because they will look back.

[19:28] They will look back and see how God's indulgent care attended their wanderings. Here and there. And what wanderings too may be discovered in some cases.

[19:44] Wanderings away from God. Wanderings according to our own will and pleasure. Making decisions for ourselves as to what we should do in life.

[19:56] And where we should go and what we should say and what we shall consider to be the right thing to do. And all this time, God was patiently watching over some of these people who knew not their left hand from their right hand.

[20:14] And yet, all this time, we may come back to the first part of this verse, all this time there's these words wonderfully inscribed, the Lord was ready to save me.

[20:27] Now, if you were called in the early years of your life, you can perhaps see this, the Lord was ready to save me. But nonetheless, to those who have gone on for years, these words were inscribed over them all the time of their unregeneracy, the Lord was ready to save me.

[20:49] Right from eternity, the Lord was ready to save me. All through the days when we knew not the Lord, the Lord was ready to save me.

[21:01] And since perhaps we have come to those years of generacy, that is, when we have known the Lord, then is it not true that the Lord was ready to save me.

[21:17] Can we see that clearly? If we can see that clearly, therefore we will sing my songs. We will sing my songs concerning the purposes of God.

[21:29] He is in my mind and who shall turn him, and whatsoever his soul desireeth, even that he doeth. What a testimony that is, from the lips of Job.

[21:41] Job bore some of his best testimonies when he was most afflicted. We read those words in the 23rd chapter of his book, and how does it begin?

[21:55] Even today is my complaint bitter. My stroke is heavier than my groaning. Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his seat.

[22:06] But it is from such a situation that Job was able to bear this unqualified statement concerning God's purposes.

[22:19] But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desire, if even that he doeth, for he performeth the thing that is appointed for me.

[22:34] And many such things are with him. How easily we may overlook this. People do overlook this in their lives, that it is God that performeth the thing that's appointed.

[22:45] people may get into a fash about the prospects of this and the prospects of the other, but can we see this?

[22:56] The Lord was ready to save me. Therefore, we will sing my songs, songs concerning the purposes of God.

[23:07] But what do we read of in the word of God? We also read of songs of deliverances, all under the purposes of God. Moses is recorded as having prepared two songs.

[23:20] Then they sung the song of Moses. And it was a time when the Israel was delivered out of the hands of their enemies. And the enemies that they had been so troubled by were suddenly dead upon the seashore and they would know them no more forever, all in the divine purposes of God, therefore we will sing my songs, my songs, songs of God's purposes but also songs of God's deliverance.

[23:57] God's deliverance. What shall we say in respect to our own lives? Have we any reason to remember certain days when we were bound to be obedient to the precepts of the gospel and to sing my songs, my songs, the songs of deliverance.

[24:24] Thou hast delivered my soul from death, thou hast delivered me from going down into the pit, death. And Hezekiah himself has something to say about that in this very book.

[24:42] For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee, they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth, but it is the living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day.

[24:58] the deliverances. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.

[25:09] Now some of you have had a long pilgrimage, and in that pilgrimage you may well say that there have been many afflictions, of one kind and another.

[25:20] In those afflictions have you had this seal, the Lord was ready to save me. And if the Lord was ready to save me, it was because he set his love upon me.

[25:32] If the Lord was ready to save me, it was because he had a favour towards me. Therefore we will sing my songs, songs of deliverance, and how emphatic are the words of the songs of deliverance that are uttered by Moses in the first instance when the horse and his rider were thrown into the sea.

[26:07] He says, the Lord is my strength and song. He has become my salvation. What a connection between these words. The Lord is ready, was ready to save me.

[26:20] He is my God, and I will prepare him in habitation, my father's God, and I will exalt him. In the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee.

[26:37] Thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble. Now the enemy said, will we include this in our songs of deliverance, and honour God by saying what the enemy said.

[26:50] The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil. My lust shall be satisfied upon them. I will draw my sword, and my hand shall destroy them.

[27:08] Thou didst blow with thy wind. The earth's sea covered them. They sank as lead in the mighty waters. in pondering the song of Moses sometimes, we may see more clearly the glory of God set forth in that song.

[27:29] Now if we are to join with Hezekiah, therefore we will sing my songs. You know they will be such songs of deliverance that will honour and glorify God.

[27:45] God now have we such an experience that lifts God very high, that sets him watching over our enemies.

[27:56] They said what they would do, and perhaps some of your enemies have said what they would do. But you see, God is over it all. And God was ready to save me.

[28:09] Now we do not always realise the dangers which beset us. We very often may think of the lines, dangers of every shape and name, attend the followers of the Lamb.

[28:23] And we may wonder sometimes why this and that arises, why we were not able or allowed to do this or that. Shall we say, in respect to these things, the Lord was ready to save me.

[28:37] He saw the danger which I saw not. and afterwards perhaps he may cause you to look back to that spot where you thought it was quite clear and safe to go along.

[28:51] God thought it was a place of danger and therefore it was a place of deliverance. We will sing my songs, songs of deliverance.

[29:06] Now songs are to be sung not just as it were into the air, but Hezekiah's songs under these conditions would be sung unto the Lord Most High.

[29:21] Singing was part of the true worship of God in the Old Testament and will there not be times even in the congregation when we should join in worshipping God, worshipping the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

[29:38] therefore we will sing my songs. Has it been the case with you sometimes when you have sung a hymn of praise and you have felt that's my song?

[29:51] That's my song. I can go along with this. I can say amen to every word of it. I can lift up my heart unto God and say it's my song. Therefore we will sing my songs.

[30:05] songs. And just one more point on my songs before we pass on and that is songs in the night. And we may think that we should never be able to sing in the night.

[30:20] Well in the 119th psalm a reference is made to that singing songs in the night. And we quickly remember the occasion when Paul and Silas were in the prison at Philippi.

[30:34] And what did they do? They were in great affliction. They were in great trouble. Their backs were bleeding. And they were in the stocks.

[30:46] And they were thrust into the innermost prison. Well what could be more calculated to cause them to be miserable and bemoan their lot. But what do we find?

[30:58] I say what do we find? They were singings. They were singing songs in the night. Why were they singing songs in the night? Was it not?

[31:10] At least for one reason. Because of their confidence in the words here the Lord was ready to save me. Save me out of the hands of these people at Philippi.

[31:22] How quickly that was to be the case. You see sometimes people sing songs after they've been delivered. And sometimes they sing songs in anticipation of deliverance.

[31:38] And maybe you've been in that place sometimes. Surely we may consider the case of Paul and Silas in the prison at Philippi as being such a case where where they sung in anticipation of what the Lord was going to do.

[32:05] It had a profound effect. Therefore we will sing my songs. Do we want to convert the world? Do we want to make an impression sometimes upon others?

[32:17] Well there are sometimes when an impression may be left even upon the ungodly when we sing songs in the night. When we sing songs when everything is dark and everybody knows it's dark.

[32:34] When perhaps the issues of death are right upon us. You go into a person that is born of God and they're singing songs. They're singing songs because of this the Lord was ready to save me.

[32:48] And now as I draw near to my journey's end how precious is my heavenly friend and therefore I can sing songs in the night. Though it is even time yet I can sing songs in the night because I believe in God's faithfulness.

[33:07] I believe in God's mercy. I believe in God's purposes being brought to pass. I believe in God's grace and his favor. Therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments.

[33:28] Referent is made on one or two occasions to instruments in the psalms. And I think it's the 71st psalm where referent is made to the psaltery and even thy truth.

[33:42] Even thy truth. And then we get the harp with a solemn sound. How good it is to sing to the accompaniment of divine truth and with a solemn sound issuing forth.

[33:59] This is to be accounted for surely when we recall the psalmist's words that he would rejoice with trembling. Therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments.

[34:13] only that which accords to truth. Only that which is harmonious when we think of truth. Now may we just reflect upon the points that have already been made.

[34:25] Is mercy agreeable and consonant with truth? Indeed it is. Then we can sing my songs to the stringed instruments. And is the favour of God agreeable to the truth of the Lord?

[34:45] Then we may take our instruments and with a solemn sound utter the glorious words of our song accompanied by the sounds, the harmonious sounds of divine truth.

[35:01] Purposes. Oh the purposes of God and the faithfulness of God. Are these not agreeable to divine truth? Then may we not feel the sweet echo of the accompanying sounds, the harmonious sounds of divine and yet solemn truth echoing in our own hearts as we sing my songs.

[35:24] songs, my songs, Hezekiah's songs, but may we say our songs also, to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord.

[35:42] The last verse of this chapter struck me today. Hezekiah also has said, what is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord?

[35:55] What is the sign? Many people have passed through sicknesses, but they've never asked for a sign that they'll go up to the house of the Lord.

[36:07] Now you see, God gave to Hezekiah a remarkable sign. In the book of Kings we can read more detail on this particular point than we have in this chapter in Isaiah.

[36:20] Now, the point was put to Hezekiah as to what the sign should be, whether the dial of Ahaz should go forward ten degrees or go backward.

[36:35] And he said, well, it's an easy thing for it to go forward. But for it to go backward, this would clearly indicate the glory of God in the matter.

[36:47] We could not say that there was any slipping here. It would require the almighty power of God to cause the sun to go backwards in its course.

[36:59] And what a sign that was. It was a sign, a sign of his recovery, indeed it was, but it was a sign that he would go into the house of the Lord again.

[37:12] We may therefore see some significance in this, therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord.

[37:25] Now we may ask you this evening, I may ask myself, what is the house of the Lord to us if we have been sick? Has it been a question of having a sign that we should return unto the house of the Lord, that we may engage in that worship that had been customary with us all the days of our life?

[37:52] Now the Hezekiah, he looks forward. This affliction that had come upon him had indeed been a testing time, and as it was a testing time, he had been weighed in the balances and found wanting.

[38:09] thing. But now he wants a sign that he will not only recover, but that I shall go up to the house of the Lord.

[38:22] He wanted to sing the songs of Zion still, in his own heart, in his own place, perhaps where he lived, but in the house of the Lord.

[38:36] My soul shall pray for Zion still, while life and breath remain there, my best friends, my kindred dwell, their God, my Saviour, reigns all the days of our life in the house of the Lord.

[38:55] We may look at this numerically, all the days, but fifteen years were to be added unto the life of Hezekiah, according to the purpose of God.

[39:09] And all those days were in the desire of the heart of this good man to be spent in the house of the Lord.

[39:23] We know that this would not mean a literal performance, but how often, or has it ever been with you and me, when the Lord has caused us to feel a joy in anticipation of the courts of the Lord.

[39:45] It takes us back to our opening hymn this morning, where the good man, he speaks about the blessedness of the Lord's day, and he says, how welcome to the saints.

[40:03] When pressed with six days noise and care and toil, is the returning day of rest which hides them from the world a while. Now, now, from the throng withdrawn away, they seem to breathe a different air.

[40:19] Composed and softened by the day, all things another aspect where, and certainly, walking in the pathway of Hezekiah, we shall find that all things where another aspect.

[40:35] how happy if their lot is cast, where statedly the gospel sounds, the word is honey to their taste, renews their strength, and heals their wounds.

[40:48] What can we expect from the house of the Lord? Just a place of bricks and mortar and edifice? us? Ah, Hezekiah saw more in him than that.

[41:00] It was where his soul was fed and nourished, and therefore, his determination is expressed in these terms. Therefore, we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord.

[41:20] To the honor of the Lord. Sometimes we use the expression, the place where thine honor dwelleth. Now, it is good, I feel, we may venture to say, in respect to the house of the Lord here, that it is the place where his honor dwelleth.

[41:39] We do not want to do anything which would be contrary or derogatory to his honor. Hezekiah walked softly. He walked tenderly. The Lord had revealed to him in the midst of his affliction a wonderful truth, solemn truth, great truth.

[41:56] The Lord was ready to save me. And this produced a desire for continual worship. If the Lord makes clear to us his love and his mercy and his readiness to save, will we not sing my songs?

[42:13] To the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord. God's love and his heart. Now the house of the Lord is manifested, as it were, in a corporate body of the souls of people that gather together for worship.

[42:32] Oh how good it is if we have a song and another has a song and we are joined together in hearts in singing those songs.

[42:43] Come, let us sing one of the songs of Zion. May we think of one whereby we may join together, awake, sweet gratitude and sing the ascended saviour's love.

[42:57] See how he sings, how he lives to carry on his people's cause above. heart. Now, we can read into these words, that which is written here, the Lord was ready to save me.

[43:10] And if that truth is settled in our souls, shall we not say, awake, sweet gratitude and sing. Because if the Lord was ready to save me, then ultimately, in Hezekiah's case, the Lord would surely come.

[43:28] And I verily believe that some of these people of the Old Testament, they saw the fulfillment of Christ crucified, even though it had not yet taken place.

[43:41] They saw the covenant relationship between themselves and God in Christ. Abraham saw my day and was glad.

[43:54] Isaiah saw the day of the Lord because we read in the New Testament, he wrote, when he saw his glory, he wrote of him.

[44:05] And so we go back to the sixth chapter, when he saw the glory of the Lord in the house of God. All the days of our life, if we should regard these days as being days of change, sometimes days of darkness, sometimes days of obscurity, sometimes days when everything was crying.

[44:32] Yet, shall we not come into the house of the Lord to sing the praises of the Lord, because he is ready to save? Sing how he lives to carry on his people's cause above.

[44:45] Are these not sweet words relative to a continual salvation? The Lord, not one that is dead, but one that ever lives, to take his people's cause in hands.

[45:00] And top lady gets a glimpse of him here below, with cries and tears he offered up, his humble suit below, but with authority he asks, enthroned in glory now.

[45:15] Well, will this not be included in the songs of Zion, which may well be sung to the accompaniment of the strings of the strings of truth and soberness?

[45:27] All the days of our life. If Jesus Christ is ascended up on high as he has, he speaks with authority. Authority.

[45:39] We may well just include that point in the statutes of the Lord. There is authority. The Lord spoke, and it was done.

[45:49] Has the Lord spoken in connection with ourselves, relative to our own salvation? The Lord was ready to save me. How did Hezekiah know?

[46:00] He knew because the Lord spoke, and he spoke with authority, and he spoke with power. Eternal life at his request, to every saint as given.

[46:13] safety on earth, and after death, the plenitude of heaven. My songs, we will sing my songs, to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord.

[46:31] A unity of spirit is set before us here. The king, by reason of his position, was able to say my songs. The ones that were written out.

[46:45] But we read, we will sing my songs. Those to whom I am joined in the bond of love and favor from God.

[46:55] We will all sing my songs. And there is this point to be considered. There is such a unity of spirit amongst the people of God with regard to the songs that they will sing.

[47:06] I will sing unto God most high. And to God that performeth all things for me. And then again, we find the other psalmist bursting forth in the 40th psalm.

[47:19] And saying, he brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the mary clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my going. And he hath put a new song in my mouth.

[47:31] Even praise unto our God. Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. And then again, we notice in yet another psalm of the Lord inspiring the psalmist to speak to the honor and glory of his name.

[47:54] Because the Lord will command his loving kindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me and my prayer unto the God of my life.

[48:05] God, we may just make this point in closing. Therefore we will sing my songs. Though Hezekiah may be permitted to say, they were his songs.

[48:17] Yes, what were they really? They were the songs inspired by the Spirit of God. And that which came forth from his newborn soul, which would honor the almighty God, that would extol him, and set him very high, and would truly say, Who is like unto thee?

[48:37] There is none like unto thee. Who is like unto thee that pardones iniquity, and passes by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? The Lord was ready to save me.

[48:52] Therefore we will sing my songs to the strength instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord. May we be favored with this knowledge that the Lord is ready.

[49:04] Oh, ready all the time. Ready every day of our life to save us. When lower and lower I every day fell, he stretched forth his power, and snatched me from hell, because he was ready to save.

[49:18] Therefore, shall we not take up the praises of the Lord, and sing our songs, songs inspired in our very soul, by the Spirit of God, songs of love and of mercy, songs of adoration and praise, to the strength instruments of truth and solemn sound and soberness, all the days of our life in the house of the Lord.

[49:44] May it be so. To the honor and glory of God. Amen.