Please turn with me to the text for this morning sermon, Psalm number 50 versus 1 through 15.

Psalm number 50 versus 1 through 15.

The mighty one, God the Lord speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. Out of

Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth. Our God comes, he does not keep silence. Before him is a devouring

fire, round about him a mighty tempest. He calls to the heavens above and to the earth

that he may judge his people. Gather to to me my faithful ones who made a covenant with me by sacrifice,

the heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge.

Here, O my people, and I will speak.

O Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God. I do not reprove you for your sacrifices.

Your burnt offerings are continually before me.

I will accept no bull from your house, nor he goat from your folds.

For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.

I know all the birds of the air and all that moves in the field is mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you. For the world and all that is in it is mine. Do I eat the flesh

of bulls or drink the blood of goats, offer to God a sacrifice of

Thanksgiving and pay your vows to the most high and call upon me in the day of trouble.

I will deliver you and you shall glorify me.

Father, before we're done this morning,

I will be commending to this people the possibility of taking some very serious

vows before you. be the calling upon you the sacrificing of Thanksgiving. And so I

pray from the very outset now that you would be the one at work in hearts, that you would come with power,

that your sword would be wielded by your spirit and do your mighty saving, delivering, transforming, establishing, healing, work in every heart.

Into your hands, Lord, we commit these next 30 minutes.

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