Lord Revive Us

We'll begin our worship this evening by singing to God's praise.

We're singing in Psalm 27 in the Singed Psalms, page 31 of the Psalm books.

I'm going to sing from verse 1 to the end of verse 5.

The tune is Jackson.

The Lord's my Saviour and my light, who will make me dismayed?

The Lord's the stronghold of my life, why should I be afraid?

When evildoers threaten me to take my life away,

my adversaries and my foes will stumble in that day.

And so on.

We sing from verse 1 to the end of verse 5 to God's praise.

The Lord's the stronghold of my life, why should I be afraid?

When evildoers threaten me to take my life away,

my adversaries and my foes will stumble in that day.

Although an army hence be in, my heart will feel no dread.

Though war against me should arise, I will lift up my head.

One thing I plead before the Lord, and this I seek always,

that I may come within your sight, and dwell there all my days.

That I know the beauty of the Lord, I constantly may raise.

And in His heart may seek to know direction in His grace.

For in His dwelling He will keep, be safe in troubled ways.

Within His dwelling He will keep, be safe in that day.

Let's bow our heads in a word of prayer.

Let us pray.

Lord our God, our Father in heaven, as we come to worship You this evening hour,

we thank You that it is through You that we come.

We approach You in and through the name of Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

We come seeking Your glory.

We come seeking Your presence with us.

We come seeking not anything for ourselves that we may glorify in,

but that we would seek to glorify more and more in You as our Lord and as our God.

For You are the one who keeps us.

You are the one who watches over us.

And as the psalm in which we have been singing reminds us,

when there are times when we can feel overwhelmed by the enemies around us,

when we can feel, O Lord, the power of wickedness so surrounding us,

we thank You that there is the promise that You are a God who surrounds His people,

that You are a God who keeps His people.

And we pray, Lord, that we will have that longing of the psalmist,

that we would come into Your presence, gazing on Your beauty,

and knowing what it is, Lord, to see Your power and to know it in Your own Son, Jesus Christ.

We pray, Lord, that through Your Spirit and You this evening,

we will know Your power ministering to us through word and spirit alike,

that You will hear our prayers,

that You will bless our time of worship,

that You will be with us in the singing of our praise to You, Lord.

We pray, Lord, that You will lead us in that and lead the one who is over us in the praise too,

that, Lord, we would lift our voices together

and unite our hearts in praise and worship of You.

We thank You that You are the one who keeps us safe in troubled days,

as the psalmist says, and that You raise us on a rock.

We thank You that the rock of Your church, of Your people,

is Your Son, Christ Jesus,

and that in Him there is nothing that can move Your church,

nothing that can overwhelm it.

For we have the security of His finished works.

We have the security of His victory over all things.

And so we pray, Lord, that You will keep us as Your people,

that You will help us to come,

throw near to You day by day,

that we would seek, Lord, Your reviving power

in our own hearts and in all around us,

that we would see Your glory

in our land and in our people.

We do thank You, Lord, for Your cause

and how it is a cause that goes far and wide.

It is not our cause to just people around us here,

but it's Your cause, it's Your gospel,

Your call to people of all nations and all tribes.

And we do thank You and rejoice, Lord,

that You have Your people

in every corner of this world.

And when we think of the vastness of the world

and all that You have created,

when we think of the universe that surrounds us

and the wonder of it

and how more and more,

through the advancement of technology,

we're enabled to see further into the galaxies.

Help us, Lord, to see the beauty of the Lord in that,

the one who has created it.

For we know that so often we seek after our own ideas.

And even in these scientists

and all who are seeking to explore the universe

and the galaxies,

they seek to do it in a way

that they will find an answer

to that deep question of where it all began.

They come at it with their own theories.

They come at it with their own ideas,

believing they have the answers already.

But as You have so often done in the past,

may You do so again in these days,

that You would reveal Yourself to them

through the wonder of Your creation,

that as people seek in their own wisdom,

that they would come to recognize

that Your wisdom is far above

and that Your ways are far above.

And we pray, Lord,

that it will minister to us as a people,

from the least to the greatest,

that we would see that behind it all

is our Maker,

our God,

the one who spoke all things into being,

and the God who cares for His people,

the God who in the midst of the vastness

of this universe

sees each of us

and knows us all by name.

And we pray, Lord,

that we will marvel at You,

that we will come in awe of You

for who You are,

and yet Your intimate knowledge of us.

You are God and Lord,

and yet we can come and call You

our Father in Heaven.

And so help Your people far and wide

to approach You with confidence

to come through that name above every name,

that every people who pray

would come and pray through the name

of the Lord Jesus Christ,

and that You will hear our prayers,

that You will hear the cries of Your people,

the cries, you know,

the psalm that we will look at this evening,

will You not again revive us,

that Your people may rejoice in You.

So may You bring glory to Your name

throughout this world.

May Your people praise You

far and wide.

May people, even on this day,

even this evening,

as Your Word is proclaimed

throughout so many different places,

may people come under the conviction of it

and the power of Your Spirit

and cry out,

Lord, have mercy on me as sinner.

So Lord, may You hear all our prayers

and hear our prayers for one another too

as we commit ourselves into Your hands,

that as a people,

as homes and communities, Lord,

we would know Your blessing with us,

that we would know Your great help with us,

for we know, Lord,

the many needs around us.

We know, Lord,

that so many are going through

so many hard trials at this time,

trials of illness,

trials of mental health,

trials with grief and sorrow and anguish,

trials of so many different kinds.

And Lord,

when we feel our great weakness

in these things,

when we feel that we have no words

to comfort or to help,

we thank You that we can come

to You as Lord and God

and pray that we can come

and call upon Your name,

knowing that You can do abundantly more

than all we ask or imagine.

And that in every situation, Lord,

even as we think of the course

that is to run soon,

hope explored,

we thank You for that great word,

hope.

And in a world and a time

when so much seems hopeless,

we pray, Lord,

that the life,

the death,

and the resurrection

of our Lord and Saviour,

Jesus Christ,

would bring hope to many,

that they would come to realize,

Lord,

that despite all the difficulties

of this world,

all the sorrows and pains,

that here is but for a moment,

but Lord,

there is an eternity before us all.

And for all of Your people,

all who You have called,

we know the wonder of that eternity,

to be with our Lord and Saviour

for it all,

to see His beauty,

to gaze upon Him,

and to know, Lord,

the blessing of that time

when He will wipe away all our tears,

when He will restore all His people,

and when He will give

the many blessings promised

through His Word.

And above all, Lord,

that peace and that glory

to see Him as He is.

So, Lord,

we ask that You will help us

to look to You at all times,

to remember one another,

to keep on praying,

not to lose heart,

and not to lose hope.

And so we pray for one another.

We pray for Your church

throughout our islands here.

May You bless us, Lord,

as a people,

as we are encouraged,

O Lord,

with another new ministry to begin

in our presbytery as well.

We remember Your servant,

Donald McLeod,

who will soon be inducted

into North Tolstair,

God willing.

We pray for him

as he prepares for that,

and as the congregation prepares too.

May we continue to remember them prayerfully,

seeking Your blessing over them,

and upon that new ministry

as it begins,

that Your people will be encouraged,

and that Your blessing

will be on them all.

Remember,

Donald and Emma too,

as they prepare

for their marriage as well

in these coming months,

Lord.

May You bless them

and be with them

in all that they need to do for that.

We pray that together

You will encourage them, Lord,

and watch over them.

So be with us, Lord,

as a people.

Look down upon us

and go before us

into the week ahead.

May we seek to do all

for Your glory,

and may we know

Your presence with us, Lord,

day by day.

Guide us by Your light,

and keep us

as the apple of Your eye.

As we confess,

O Lord,

our sin before You and You,

we ask forgiveness, Lord,

and mercy upon us

as a people,

undeserving as we are.

We thank You

that in Christ

there is much forgiveness.

So bless us,

go before us,

and continue with us now

as we commit

all these things

to You in prayer,

in and through the name

of our Lord and Saviour,

Jesus Christ,

for His glory.

Amen.

We'll further sing

to God's praise,

this time in Psalm 89

in the Scottish Psalter,

page 345 of the psalm books.

Psalm 89,

singing at verse 13,

down to verse 18,

the tune is

Tramps and Hawkers.

Psalm 89 at verse 13.

Thou hast an arm

that's full of power,

thy hand is great in might,

and thy right hand

exceedingly exalted

is in height.

We'll sing from verse 13

down to verse 18

to God's praise.

ór

and judgment

of thy throne

are made

the wedding

grace.

Mercy

accompanied

when true

shall go

before thy face.

O great

we bless

the people of

the joyful

Son that

know.

In brightness

of thy face,

O Lord,

they ever

on shall go.

In

thy name

shall all

the day rejoice

exceeding

me.

And in

thy righteousness

shall

lay

exalted

be on

high.

Because

the glory

of their

strength

doth only

stand in

me,

and in

thy

favor

shall

form

and

power

exalted

be.

For God

is our

defense

and

he

to us

the

safety

bring.

king,

the

holy

one

of

Israel

is

our

almighty

king.

Amen.

If we can

come and read

together now

in God's

word.

We're reading

in the book

of Psalms.

I'm reading

in Psalm

85.

Psalm

85.

We can

read the

whole of

this

psalm

together.

Lord,

you were

favorable to

your land.

You

restored

the

fortunes

of

Jacob.

You

forgave

the

iniquity

of

your

people.

You

covered

all

their

sin.

You

withdrew

all

your

wrath.

You

turned

from

your

heart

anger.

Restore

us

again,

O God,

of our

salvation,

and put

away

your

indignation

towards

us.

Will

you be

angry

with us

forever?

Will

you prolong

your anger

to all

generations?

Will

you not

revive us

again,

that your

people may

rejoice in

you?

Show us

your

steadfast

love,

O Lord,

and grant

us

your

salvation.

Let me

hear what

God the

Lord will

speak,

for he

will speak

peace to

his people,

to his

saints,

but let

them not

turn back

to folly.

Surely

his salvation

is near

to those

who fear

him,

that glory

may dwell

in our

land.

Steadfast

love and

faithfulness

meet.

Righteousness

and peace

kiss each

other.

Faithfulness

springs up

from the

ground,

and righteousness

looks down

from the

sky.

Yes,

the Lord

will give

what is

good,

and our

land will

yield its

increase.

Righteousness

will go before

him and make

his footsteps

our way.

Amen,

and may God

bless that

reading from

his word.

Before we

turn back

and look at

this psalm

together,

we'll sing

another psalm

together,

Psalm 126

in the

Scottish

Psalter,

Psalm 126

on page

419.

We can

sing the

whole of

this psalm

together.

The tune

is Denfield.

When

science

bondage,

God

turned

back,

as men

that

dreamed

were we,

then filled

with laughter

was our

mouth,

our tongue

with melody.

They among

the heathen

said,

The Lord

great things

for them

hath wrought.

The Lord

has done

great things

for us,

whence joy

to us

is brought.

We'll sing

the whole

of this

psalm

to God's

praise.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Sweet enemies

are reaping

time of

joy and joy

they shall.

But

man who

gave in

precious sea

in going

forth

the more

he that

blessed bringing

back his

she's

rejoicing

shall

return.

We can turn back together to a reading

in the book of Psalms

in Psalm 85.

The Psalms which we have already

sung together this evening

they remind us of the way

the Lord is able to do great things

for his people.

The way he is able to restore

the fortunes of his people.

And the way he can do this

maybe so often as we see in the Psalms

so very quickly

how things can turn around.

In many ways

this evening we're picking up

where James left us

this morning.

we're looking at the Gospel of John

John 3:19

chapter 3

verse 19

to verse 21.

There we were seeing

how Nicodemus

had come

to the Lord

and the Lord is speaking

to him about

the way

to eternal life

through his son

the Lord Jesus Christ.

But we saw too

how the battle

goes on

between

darkness

and light.

and how even in Nicodemus'

own life

he first came to

Jesus in the darkness.

But when we saw

as James highlighted

later on in his life

he came to Jesus

in the day

in the light

showing

his trust

in his Saviour.

And

we were left

with the theme

of

our need

as a land

our need

as a nation

our need

as a people

to be revived

and to be

praying

that we may be revived

that we would see

our land

in all its disarray

it is in just now

with so many things

that we would say

are in darkness

that we would see

our land

once more

being brought

into the light

of the gospel.

And I guess

this evening

where we're picking up

from that point

is to come

and focus on

Psalm 85

together

and see how

it speaks to us

of a nation

a people

crying out to God

and crying out

in his deep prayer

that the Lord

will revive

his people.

That's where

renewal

begins

that's where

transformation

comes from

not that we would

see those

around us

changed

but that we

ourselves

too would be

changed

to be a people

who are revived

by God

revived and

refreshed in him

and that we would

see this

spreading

throughout our land.

That's a prayer

of this Psalm

that we're going

to look at

this evening

and especially

verse 6.

There it says

will you not

revive us

again

that your

people

may rejoice

in you

show us

your steadfast

love

O Lord

and grant us

your salvation.

Charles Spurgeon

once preached

on this text

Charles Spurgeon

the famous

preacher

back in the

1800s

and he

began

his sermon

on this

very text

verse 6

of Psalm 85

by saying

this

he said

my people

if you will

pray this

prayer

it will be

better than

my preaching

from it

and my only

motive in

preaching from

it is that

you may

pray it

oh

that at once

before I have

uttered more

than a few

sentences

we might

begin to

pray by

crying

yes groaning

deep down

in our

souls

will you

not

revive us

again

that your

people

may rejoice

in you

powerful words

that that

would be

our prayer

that even

this evening

as we go

away

that we

will go

away

with even

just these

few words

but such

a powerful

prayer

will you

not

revive us

again

that your

people may

rejoice

in you

and that

when we look

at this

Psalm

what we

see is

the focus

is on

God's

people

who is it

that the

Psalm is

speaking to

or who is it

that is crying

out to the

Lord for

revival

it's not

those who

are lost

it's those

who have

known

God's

favour

those who

have heard

of his

blessings

those who

have experienced

it for

themselves

and they

are crying

out

will you

not again

revive us

whatever has

come into

their midst

has left

them distressed

dismayed

maybe losing

their focus

on the

Lord

but what

they are

doing now

is coming

together

and crying

out to

God

together

for this

reviving

power

that they

would see

days of

blessing

and days

of favour

of God

upon them

that's a

wonderful prayer

for ourselves

to have

and what the

Psalmist is

teaching us

is to take

confidence

in all that

the Lord

has done

all that

the Lord

is doing

and all

that the

Lord

can do

and will

do

for his

people

God brings

people

to life

through his

word

through the

gospel

he brings

his people

to life

just as we

were seeing

with Nicodemus

this morning

just as you

read of

in the letter

of Paul

to the

Ephesians

where he

speaks so

powerfully

to the

people

they are

saying

you know

you were

once dead

in your

trespasses

and sins

you were

you were

lost

but God

who is

rich and

mushy

because of

his great

love

towards us

even when

we were

dead in

our

trespasses

made us

alive

together

with

Christ

how he

is able

to bring

life

to those

who are

dead

how he

is able

to bring

life

to those

who are

his people

and we've

been given

so much

through

Christ

when we

begin

to just

look at

the scriptures

and look

at them

so closely

we see

all the

blessings

that are

ours

in Christ

what he

has done

for us

as that

hope

explored

course

we'll

look at

his

life

his

death

his

resurrection

what all

these

things

mean

for his

people

how he

came to

live

among us

God

himself

came

to live

among us

how he

died

for his

people

but how

he rose

again

and we

should

never lose

sight

of the

wonder

of that

hope

that we

have

in Christ

and indeed

as that

course

would aim

to do

to share

it with

others

so that

others

would come

to see

the hope

that is

to be

found

in Christ

but unfortunately

there are

always times

in our life

where maybe

we feel

we lose

a sense

of our

spiritual

vibrancy

we feel

a sense

of maybe

dismay

we feel

downcast

because of

certain things

that are going

on maybe

in our own

experience

and the

experiences

of people

that we're

seeing

around us

if we're

saved

we don't

lose

our

salvation

but there

are times

when we

can lose

as David

says in

the psalm

we can

lose that

joy

of salvation

we lose

our focus

on the

Lord

and so

we can

feel

overwhelmed

by the

darkness

of this

world

but we

are not

to lose

sight

of the

light

of the

gospel

of the

light

of the

glory

of God

in our

midst

in the

person

of Jesus

Christ

and to

gaze

upon

his

beauty

as

Psalm

27

says

to us

to behold

his

beauty

and to

always

keep

our

eyes

on

him

and that's

what this

psalm

seeks to

do

to help

us to

keep our

focus

on the

Lord

but pray

this

prayer

remembering

what God

has done

for us

so the

psalm

focuses

here

on three

different

things

I want

us to

look

together

at this

evening

three ways

in which

the psalm

focuses on

the blessing

of the

reviving

power

of God

and the

first is

as we see

in the

beginning

of the

psalm

verse 1

to verse 3

where it

speaks about

a past

privilege

a past

privilege

that the

people have

had

then we

see it

speaking in

verse 4

to verse 7

of a

present

need

and then

it goes

on

in verse

8

to the

end

to speak

of

a

promised

blessing

so

look at

these

three

sections

I've

broken

it up

into

three

sections

of the

psalm

a past

privilege

a present

need

and a

promised

blessing

and so

the first

thing we

want to

see is

a past

privilege

and we

see this

in verse

1

to verse

3

there's a

theme

running

throughout

this

psalm

and it's

a theme

that must

be present

in any

sense

of God's

reviving

power

whether it's

individually

or for

a nation

for a

sense of

God's

reviving

power to

be known

there needs

to be a

sense of

turning

and that's

something that

we see

through

this

psalm

we see

a people

turning

and we

see

a God

turning

and we

see it in

both a

positive

and a

negative

way

we see

a people

who have

turned

away from

God

but who

are seeking

to turn

back

to God

we see

a God

who has

poured out

indignation

on his

people

but a

God who

is able

to turn

that

into

blessing

God's

anger

being

turned

towards

them

but God's

anger

being removed

from them

turned

away

from them

and the

psalmist

begins

by looking

to a

past

day

and not

looking to

the past

with

as it

were

rose

tinted

glasses

where

everything

was better

and everything

was wonderful

it's not a

case of that

at all

everything

wasn't

perfect

everything

wasn't

good

it never

is

where there

are people

because we

are all

sinners

but there

is something

that they

had

in the

past

and that's

what he

makes clear

in the

beginning

of this

psalm

what was

it that

they had

they had

God's

favour

Lord

you were

favourable

to your

land

you

restored

the

fortunes

of Jacob

you

forgave

the

iniquity

of your

people

you

covered

all

their

sin

you

withdrew

all

your

wrath

you

turned

from

your

heart

anger

there

was a

time

in the

past

when

they

had

enjoyed

God's

favour

they

had

known

it

as

a

nation

and

they

had

known

it

as

a

people

so

the

psalmist

is

looking

back

and

what

happened

in the

past

experience

of

God's

people

that

made

a

difference

is

they

were

convicted

of

their

sin

they

turned

towards

God

there

was a

time

when he

showed

favour

he

restored

fortunes

but it

says in

verse 2

you

forgave

the

iniquity

of

your

people

they

had

come

to

God

in

a

sense

of

turning

to

him

knowing

their

sin

knowing

their

anguish

and

sin

but

knowing

the

favour

of

God

the

forgiveness

of

God

God

was

at

work

as

the

people

were

convicted

of

their

sins

they

saw

God

in

all

his

power

in

all

his

glory

and

they

recognised

that

before

him

they

were

sinners

so

yes

there

was

great

favour

in

the

land

there

was

times

of

blessing

but

that

came

from

the

people

recognising

their

sin

and

in

turning

to

God

they

knew

his

favour

and

so

that's

what

the

psalmist

is

making

clear

from

the

outset

this

past

privilege

was

found

in

a

people

turning

towards

God

and

seeking

God

anew

seeking

God

afresh

convicted

in

their

sins

and

knowing

the

favour

of

God

of

forgiving

their

sins

covering

all

their

sins

withdrawing

his

wrath

and

turning

his

hot

anger

away

the

judgment

that

was

upon

them

the

darkness

that

they

experienced

is

removed

and

it

comes

through

turning

to

God

looking

to

God

trusting

in

God

and

where

does

this

come

from

does

it

come

from

revival

as we

may

speak

about

it

well

somebody

once

said

this

when

talking

about

revival

he

said

I

don't

talk

a

great

deal

about

revival

though

in

my

very

soul

I

long

for

it

I

don't

talk

much

about

it

simply

because

I'm

convinced

that

the

thing

God

uses

to

bring

revival

to

his

church

is

not

talking

about

revival

but

talking

about

his

son

and

I

think

that's

what's

making

clear

in

this

psalm

when

the

people

are

looking

for

revival

they're

not

looking

for

the

wonders

of

revival

as it

were

itself

they're

not

looking

for

the

spectacular

things

or the

supernatural

things

that happen

at times

of revival

that's

not what

they're

looking

for

what

they're

looking

for

and

focusing

on

is

who

God

is

and

the

wonder

of

who

God

is

and

what

he

has

done

for

us

and

that's

what

you

see

here

the

people

are

looking

to

the

Lord

and

that

is

where

we

are

to

look

as

well

we

are

a

people

who

as

a

nation

as

islands

have

many

past

privileges

of

the

reviving

power

God

many

testimonies

to

the

reviving

power

of

God

but

if

you've

ever

heard

people

talk

about

the

experience

of

revival

locally

or

nationally

or even

internationally

down

through

the years

what do

they

talk

about

it

tends

to

be

those

of

us

looking

from

the

outside

in

who

talk

about

the

remarkable

signs

that

there

were

in

these

times

but

those

who

are

involved

what

do

they

speak

about

the

glory

the

presence

of

God

they

speak

about

the

power

of

God's

word

the