Well, let's pray once more, shall we? We delight, oh God, that you are the only wise God. You are the all-powerful one. You are God Almighty. You also have a heart that is disposed to love toward all those whom you have placed in Christ Jesus. And so we call upon you this evening that you would incline our ear to embrace something of the challenge that David experienced as he penned this psalm. that you would use this for great good in all the days that you have ordained for us, whether they be days with clouds over our head or bright sunshine. And we give you praise and thanks in Jesus name, amen. You may have heard of the author and songwriter Michael Card who had written a book Related to this evening's psalm, this evening, he says, all true songs of worship are born in the wilderness of suffering. Think with me for a moment. Could it be that times of desperation and challenge opened the door for David to go far more deeply in worship than as in the days of splendor. In the most trying times of life, are not our priorities that much more clear? Our dependence upon the Lord and trust in him more complete. Our pain brought clarity to us. Our need for God was made more abundantly plain, wasn't it? Now, the English poet William Cooper had a lifelong struggle with depression, some of you may know, which required him actually at one point in time to be placed into an asylum. He had attempted suicide at one point in his life. His journey from pain to trust was one that was lifelong. The hymn that we just sang is believed to have been his last. God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform. He plants his footsteps in the sea and rides upon the storm. And so as we look back over the stanzas that you had before you in hymn 21, we can see Cooper reinterpret the clouds overhead is actually conveyors of God's mercy behind a frowning providence. He hides a smiling face. He is known the trial of pain, the trail of pain to praise from despair to determine trust. We've recently been studying the lament Psalms, as you know, which comprise approximately one third of the book of Psalms. And they're scattered as well throughout the rest of the Bible as we've observed. And we began this study with this essential question. How are we to embrace both the sovereignty of a loving, good God, and yet live in a broken world? This evening, we reach that destination of this trail of lament, and that is of determined trust, as you see at your handout. This will require a choice, however, a decision of trusting God with our pain, whatever it is, whatever the source. And so some will back away from this choice. They never get beyond the pain, beyond the complaint of a lament. They never cross that bridge to focus their gaze upon our great God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. The language of lament has led us here, but it is here that we must decide at this point whether to cross that bridge. So how do the lament Psalms help us to reach that final waypoint in our journey? And there is a sense in which we can return to lament throughout our lifetimes as Cooper did. Life isn't that simple, is it? So we must, and in this final part of the journey, choose to practice trust. or you want to write it down, an active patience from this point forward. And it will involve returning to God and opening up our pain, bringing our complaints and our bold requests, even as a trial continues. Because lament is how we endure. Lament is how we trust. It is how we wait upon God actively. One has written, the prayer of lament rejoined is God's saving actions in the now and hopes urgently for God's saving actions in the future. The not yet of that eschatological timeline, those who lament stand on the boundary between the old age and the new and hope for things unseen. So this waiting upon God, however, is one that is active. That painful journey that we are on may be beyond our immediate control. And so our spiritual posture must remain alert. Our time is to be spiritually productive as we follow that pathway to trust. Our author Michael Virga put it this way, we keep trusting by lamenting. And we will follow this author's outline this evening and many of his sentiments as well, as we go back into Psalm 13, which was where we began. If you'd look again with me at verses one and two. How long, O Lord, will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? And turning to God in complaint are expressed in these questions, the how long questions that we have before us. The next verse finds David asking, implicitly praying that God, that the Lord will preserve his life. In verse 3, consider me, consider and answer me, O Lord my God. Light up my eyes lest I sleep the sleep of death. And so he's crossed that bridge from complaint to bold request. And we'll see a turning point here in verse five, revealing how he is now really focused entirely upon God in verse five. And you can see this begins with the word but. But I have trusted in your steadfast love. My heart shall rejoice in your salvation. And so again, we see the abrupt change in the psalmist's focus. Before this, his mind has been taken up with his adversaries. And now he makes his confession plain, focusing on God, eclipsing over his complaint, expressing the dominant theme of his life, of trusting in God's steadfast love and rejoicing in his salvation. And so the words yet, but, and however are frequently found in the Lament Psalms. And I hope that's becoming plain to you by now because the lamenting Psalms are not only expressions of belief or conviction, but they also mark an intentional choice to turn and trust to God. Of believing in what he has done and grasping and holding on to God's promises in scripture. If you would turn forward with me to Psalm 31. Psalm 31 just briefly. We'll see this pattern reiterated. beginning at verse 12 of Psalm 31. I have been forgotten like one who is dead. I have become like a broken vessel. Drop down to verse 14. But I trust in you, O Lord. I say, you are my God. And then forward again to Psalm 71. Psalm 71, beginning at verse 10. So we can see in the previous verse that I just referenced, we could see something of that turning to God. In verses 10 through 14 of Psalm 71, we can see a complaint and we can see that bold request as well, beginning at verse 10. For my enemies speak concerning me, those who watch for my life consult together, verse 11, and say, God has forgotten him, pursue and seize him, for there is none to deliver him. Oh God, be not far from me. Oh my God, make haste to help me. May my accusers be put to shame and consumed with scorn and disgrace. May they be covered who seek my hurt. And then 14, you can see now there's the trust. And again, it begins with the word but. But I will continually, I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more. We see this turning again to trust in Psalm 86. In Psalm 86, we'll first view the complaint and then we'll see the trust as well following that. Verse 14 of Psalm 86. Oh God, insolent men have risen up against me. A band of ruthless men seeks my life and they do not set you before them. now verse 15, the trust. But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. And so in this psalm, the four elements of lament seem to overlap like waves sometimes do, one catching up to the one before it, washing over them. But the elements are still there, as you've seen them before, verses 15 through 17. But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Turn to me. Again, a petition, right? It's overlapping. Turn to me and be gracious to me. Give your strength to your servant and save the son of your maidservant. Show me a sign of your favor that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, oh Lord, have helped me and comforted me. And so here, the elements of lament, they'll kind of mix and overlap each other. But reaching the shore, as it were, in anticipation of the Lord's helping and comforting David. And so there is a resolved trust in Yahweh, as we've seen. Calvin observes, it was a proof of no ordinary steadfastness to maintain the conflict with this temptation. and to do this so successfully as not to cease to describe the light in the midst of darkness. He desires that his enemies may be put to shame because they sailed his simplicity with mockery and scoffing, as if he had acted foolishly by trusting in God. And so having established that pattern, as we've seen of choosing deliberately to trust God, as we lament, let's turn back to Psalm 13. and follow the track of David's lament. And so we've looked at turning to trust, of choosing to trust. Roman numeral two, we're now going to see three affirmations, three affirmations of trust in these remaining verses. Verse five. Again, but, but I have trusted in your steadfast love. My heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord because he has dealt bountifully with me. So look at the beginning of verse 5 with me. But I have trusted in your steadfast love. Recall the context with me. David has been wrestling with God for more than hours. It's actually been for days, if you go back to the top of the psalm. Over the griefs and danger his enemies have caused. Verses 3 and 4, his petition. And then in verse 5 you can see the abrupt change from petition of pleading with God to one of resolved trust. And so what is that in this relationship with Yahweh that is going to make this turning, this resolve to trust, what makes that possible? Well, without a doubt, as a young boy growing up in the house of Jesse, his parents recounted for him in some detail, I'm sure, something of the history of God's dealings with the patriarchs. and of the time under Moses and Aaron through the Exodus. Yahweh then came to the aid of those in the conquest of Canaan under Joshua and how God delivered his people time and again under the judges. It's expressed in Psalm 143 verse 5. I remember the days of old. I meditate on all that you have done. I ponder the work of your hands. Isaiah also refers to this well in chapter 63 beginning at verse 7. I will recount the steadfast love of the Lord, the praises of the Lord according to all that the Lord has granted us, and the great goodness of the house of Israel that he has granted them according to his compassion, according to the abundance of his steadfast love. He goes on, for he said, surely they are my people, children who will not deal falsely. And he became their savior. In all their affliction, he was afflicted. the angel of his presence saved them in his love, and in his pity he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. This is the track record that Yahweh has established for his people. And so David is able to look back upon this history and meditate upon all these works that God has done. They drew him back to Yahweh in the midst of his grief, in the midst of his lament. And so this confidence was what brought David to pray in the first place when you think about it. And so recall your own history with me, dear brother, dear sister. of God being your shepherd. And this is where it began with you. Each one of you has a history with God. Being a Christian means embracing the Bible for what it is, the word of God. And you by faith embrace the forgiveness of your sins through Jesus Christ that was held out to you in the gospel. You were welcomed into God's family as his adopted child. But that was only the beginning, of course, isn't it? We begin that relationship with God as we reach out in faith for all that he has provided for us in the gospel. And yet that faith continues that journey. and walking continually in that faith. And so the season or the trial that you may be in even is really the same walk, isn't it? All the way along, it's been a walk of faith. And so the stakes may be higher, the pain may be more intense right now. And so recall the essential question that started this series, how we are to make it in this troubling world and still trust God. And so today, if you were able to say with David in verse five, I have trusted in your steadfast love, your chesed love, your covenant love. This is what the Apostle Paul really expressed and experienced years after that encounter on the Damascus road. When you think of the words of Galatians 2.20, And I wonder how many times Paul actually recited this to himself. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. I wonder how many times he recited that to himself. Do you see how Paul rehearses the gospel in this statement? and this we also must do today in whatever challenge is before us. I have been crucified with Christ, and he lives within me, no longer myself. Whatever challenge is before you, you can say to him in the midst of that, as in verse five in this psalm, to make that part of your prayer language to God. I have trusted, Father, in your steadfast love. which you have abundantly proven to me upon the cross of your dear son, Jesus, and all along the way to continue to prove yourself faithful. And so I will trust in you, and this or that, that I'm experiencing today. Matthew Henry observes, none live so easily, so pleasantly, as those who live by faith. And so secondly, as we go back to verse five, we can also look at that second half of it. My heart shall rejoice in your salvation. We've seen the first affirmation of trust. And so here is the second one. The challenges David experienced were also within the arc of God's redemptive plan. Far from being abandoned by God, these trials were God's prescriptions for the eventual overthrow of God's enemies in his day. Although David may not have been aware of that, these challenges, even this very prayer, was the stuff that God would use. in a more glorious conquest, and ultimately through Solomon, and then laying the groundwork for the coming of his greater son, the Messiah. Calvin again, we may not be wholly free from sorrow, but it is nevertheless necessary that this cheerfulness of faith rise above it, and put into our mouth a song on account of the joy which is reserved for us. in the future, although not as yet experienced by us. just as we see David here preparing himself to celebrate in songs the grace of God before he actually perceives the end of his troubles. So as we go back to that 21st hymn, we'll continue. Blind unbelief is sure to err and scan his work in vain. God is his own interpreter and he we'll make it plain. And so from this stanza we get the hint that lamenting in faith means that we can still rejoice, though we likely won't be able to connect all the dots while in the midst of that difficulty. And yet David, along with him, We can trust in the Lord in spite of our nearsightedness. And so God will reveal his plan to us and certainly at the right time. You look back a week or so ago when we considered Psalm 22 verse 1. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? And as you know, this lament was wonderfully fulfilled on the cross of Jesus Christ. His actual words as he hung upon the cross. The greatest moment in redemptive history. And the dawn of that empty tomb soon followed those terrible six hours of Christ's sufferings. His life of lament led to salvation and eternal life. And so we now have the roadmap. We have the finished plan before us in the scriptures. We know how this story ends. If you turn with me to Romans chapter 8, I know we looked at this before, but it's worth tying down in our minds again as we reflect upon Paul's expressions here of the love of God, and seeing that even in the context of his own sufferings, we can get the connection to the lament that he quotes here. Beginning at verse 35 of Romans 8, who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Most of the things that we're gonna read in the rest of this verse, he's already experienced, hasn't he? Saw tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword. Except for the sword, I don't think he experienced that at this point. But he would later, wouldn't he? Consider Paul's life, what he endured for the sake of the gospel. And where does he immediately go? He's quoting a lament. As we saw in our last study, he quotes Psalm 44 verse 22 in the next verse. As it is written, for your sake we are killed all day long. We are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered, of course. And he knew this right up front that when Jesus called him on that Damascus road, that suffering was what God had destined for him. But that's not all, is it? We are all destined in Christ for glory. Familiar words, but let's underscore them as you go back to verse 28. We can see, again, the arc of God's redemptive plan, and in the context, and that's what Paul is, right in the context of God's redemptive plan, he's viewing his suffering in light of that plan. 28, and we know, We know that for those who love God, all things work together for good. For those who are called according to his purpose, for those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined, He also called, and those he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. And so with the incredible pain of facing Terry's homecoming, this overarching plan, her salvation has comforted me in ways I cannot describe. I made an attempt to do that during our Thanksgiving praise service. And so as we saw before, Paul has kept the sufferings he experienced in verse 35 within that broader context of God's plan of redemption. And so while promises don't end the pain, they provide the purpose for them, as you can see. And Paul can rejoice in God's love, even in the midst of suffering. And of course, you know where I'm going, verse 37, don't you? No, in all things, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. So to bring this back home, at least to me, if I viewed Terry's staircase down in dementia, and her passing from this life were not in a context of the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan and his purposes for her, or Christ high priestly prayer, or the reality of a coming resurrection and a glorified eternal existence, it would indeed be tragic beyond words. And yet, so the eyes of faith beholding God's revelation of himself in the word and in the Lord Jesus provides the means by which we can sing, like David, a salvation song. And his plan to give meaning and purpose to what we face in this life. And so on that early morning in July when Terry's spirit slipped away into God's presence, grief Grief never left their room. But I was able to wrap that grief in the gospel. Death would not have the final word for her. And so as you remember, at her funeral, there simply was not enough time. to sing all the songs of salvation that we wanted to, that filled our hearts. I hope you can see how lament ultimately leads to rejoicing. And so finally, if we turn back to Psalm 13, as we look at verse six, David can say, I will sing to the Lord because he has dealt bountifully with me. Spurgeon observes, what a climb there is in this song from the abyss of sorrow up to the summit of joy. I hope many of us know what this blessed change means. If any of you are in great sorrow tonight, may the Lord, the master lighten your eyes. And so we've moved from pointed questions at the beginning of the Psalm, we've moved from pointed questions to a God-centered worship. Lament had reoriented David's heart. David has turned back to God, he has complained. He has asked boldly and now his heart has finally reached that destination. faith-filled worship. And so notice with me briefly, this same progression that we've seen here is also present in the book of Job as well. Now you're familiar with most of the complaints, right? Of the book of Psalm. All the questions that Job had is throughout most of the book. And yet as we landed at Job 42, Job is able to say, I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted, verse 5 of 42. I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you. So throughout Job's experience, we've read of tragedy, of loss, of complaint, upon complaint, and now Job is worshiping God humbly. Psalm 28, verse seven. The Lord is my strength and my shield, in him my heart trusts, and I am helped, my heart exalts. And with my song, I give thanks to him. Psalm 56, beginning at verse eight. You have kept count of my tossings. Put my tears in your bottle. Are they not all in your book? He goes on in verse nine. Then my enemies will turn back in the day when I call. This I know, that God is for me. And God, whose word I praise. And the Lord, whose word I praise. And God, I trust. You hear the resolve, the choice that he has made. And God, I trust. I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me? Augustine summarizes the benefit of the Lament Psalms in these words. The Psalms are given to us as a divine pedagogy for our affections, a teacher for our affections, God's way of reshaping our desires and perceptions so that they learn to lament in the right things and take joy in the right things. So we've moved along that trail of lament to turn to complain, to boldly ask, and then finally to choose to trust. And yet there's really more to consider how the laments are expressed. And so Roman numeral three, we can also allow for varied expressions of trust, varied expressions of trust. We ought not to look at lament Psalms as we would a prefab house, for example. And so while we've examined the trail markers of lament in this series, there are also psalms of lament which are going to vary in their expressions. And this is due really to the many varied circumstances that the saints find themselves in. And that can be true of us as well. Look at when you think of William Cooper, he spent a life of lament. and yet resolve. On one day that trust may sound like a confident statement regarding what you know to be true of God, it may sound like this. Dear God, I don't understand all that you're doing in my life, but I know that you are in control and I trust you. It may be very explicit. There's gonna be other days where you may need to sit in silence and meditate on Psalm 46, verse 10, to be still and know that I am God. So you can see that lament need take on many forms, many varied expressions of trust. You may pull out a hymnal. and sing to encourage your soul to soothe your sorrows. Hymns are often used, and they've often buoyed my spirits up over the last few years. And so what I'm saying is that the path may not always look the same in a lament, as we've even seen variation throughout our study. In fact, sometimes we're just a hot mess, aren't we, in the midst of a difficulty. But we are brought to a place of growing trust by God, heavenly Father. And so keep all these things in mind. They all begin with turning in faith because it makes use of the Lament Psalms. And so let your words echo these ancient, well-worn paths. Think of just how many saints have trodden upon them before you, and how they have arrived at a settled trust, as you are seeking to do as well. Don't stop making this turn toward trust. Choose to make God your hope. And so here is where it can be found, even as dark storms appear, by turning to God, to laying out your complaints, to ask boldly to choose to trust with your sorrows. And then finally then, Roman numeral four on your outline, to trust him who keeps you trusting. to trust him who keeps you trusting. This one actually comes from John Piper. Let me remind you that God is the one who is working into us the salvation that we are to work out. And thankfully, you and I don't have to somehow work ourselves into this place of trust. Pray to the one who can and will help you continue trusting. Learning to lament gives us grace and keeps us trusting. Familiar words from Philippians 2. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only is in my presence, but much more in my absence. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who is working in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. And so in closing tonight, there are a few applications for us to consider. A few applications. Consider making a list of your go-to promises, the ones that you really need for right now, the Psalms or songs, to keep them in your prayer journal. My brother-in-law Steve, my sister Claudia's husband, in his retired years, he's made such a point of this that he's actually developed a website for himself of all the promises of God that have been dear to him. And so he's devoted much time to that. You may also consider an excellent devotional by Charles Spurgeon known as Faith Checkbook, Faith Checkbook. It's probably in your app store, but please don't look it up right now. Secondly, secondly, have you identified any barriers that might stand in the way of turning to trust? What are the barriers that are keeping you from doing that? Are you this evening speaking to God? Or have you been giving him the silent treatment as I've asked before? Have you been neglecting that Bible reading that you started the year with and somehow in the middle of year, it's kind of evaporated. I have great news for you. That Bible is still there. It may have gathered some dust, but it's not going to pick itself up and drop itself in your lap now, is it? And we have an opportunity. We have the New Year upcoming, an opportunity for you to get a fresh start. But don't wait that long. But perhaps the biggest barrier in your way is that you're having a controversy with God. You're not speaking to God. You're not opening that Bible because you already know what it says of this or that darling sin of yours. Or perhaps there is a root of bitterness that you have permitted to run deeply into your heart, and you've been jaded by this or that hardship, broken relationship perhaps. That bitterness has taken on a life of its own. In fact, this evening it may define you. That bitterness itself has impacted your health, your ability to sleep. You've now moved on to medicating yourself by maybe strong drink perhaps. You've allowed that bitterness even to defile and poison the relationships that you yet have in your life. You need to break the silence. to turn back to God this night, if I've just described you. Lance that painful tumor in your heart and lay it open before God. Let that become the means of starting to pray again, of turning back to God, of complaining, of making a petition, and ultimately choosing to trust God. Now you will find yourself by degrees able to sing and go before God in a heartfelt worship and praise. Confess all your sins, plead with him that God's grace made available only by the blood of the risen Savior can restore your soul. That's in Psalm 23, isn't it? He restores my soul. And the means by which he does that from Psalm 19 is the very word of God, isn't it? He uses that to restore your soul. Well, I'll close this evening from quoting from Joel 2, beginning at verse 12. Yet even now declares the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning, and run your hearts and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful. and he's proven it, hasn't he? He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and he relents over disaster. Drop down to verse 25. I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame. And you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and there is none else. And all my people shall never again be put to shame. Amen. Well, let's close in prayer, shall we? Dear Father, we love the stories of the saints of old that you have recorded and included in your scriptures. We love the trials, but also the triumphs of how you have worked in people's lives, so many people's lives. And we pray that there would be lessons that would come home for each of us, even that would take us to glory, Lord, that would take us all the way in our journey. From pain to settle trust in our Lord Jesus Christ, help us, we pray in this journey. In your name we ask. Amen.