Psalm 136 – The People of God Will Praise Jehovah 神的子民要稱讚耶和華
Wednesday, 24th May 2023
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
We may sometimes feel tired and weary, when we face challenges and hardship, we want to give up. Today God tells us to be renewed in strength in Him. How can we do that? By praising Him, giving thanks to Him, and uplifting Him no matter what.
Section One V1-3, V26 Praise God’s Attributes 稱謝神的屬性
God is good, He is the beginning and He is the end. We must praise Him no matter what when we call ourselves the people of God. Do we know Who is the God we are following? He is the I Am Who I Am God, He is the God of all gods and there is no other god bigger than Him. He is also the Lord of the lords, He rules over His people, He rules over the land, and He is in charge of all things. In V26 we know that He is even the God of Heavens.
He is a Great God, yet He gives us His mercy. He is high above, we are so small, but He gives us mercy. Can we see His mercy? We may see hardship, we may see tears, we may see failures, but today, we must see God’s mercy. This is the dark times, but when we know Who our God is then we can easily praise Him. His Will for us is good, He does not want to bring disasters to us, but to bless us.
Don’t try to give up, don’t try to run away, but to praise Him, to uplift His Name, and we will know that whatever we experience, God will carry.
Section Two V4-9 Praise God’s Creations 稱謝神的創造
Can we see God’s creations? Through His creations we can see God’s presence. He does great wonders, He laid out earth above waters, and He made great lights, everything is created by God, He wants the best of us. God wants us to stand firmly above the earth, He wants us to walk on water by faith, and He wants us to live in the light. God wants us to arise and shine, His light has come.
Section Three V10-25 Praise God’s Salvation 稱謝神的拯救
Even when the Israelites had forgotten about God, He still saved them. He does not want anyone to fall, but for everyone to be saved. Are we falling right now? What are we facing right now? He wants to save us, He loves and His mercy endures forever. God’s arms are reached out to us, to protect us, and to lead us out of the land of slavery. We may be in the land of slavery, the cave, the place without God, and the place of failure. He will take us out, He will open the Red Sea for us.
We may want to give up now, the enemy is too great behind us, the seas are too strong in front of us, we don’t see a way out, but today God will save us. Do not be afraid, do not be defeated, God will destroy our enemies, He will lead us to walk through the Red Sea. Furthermore, not only He is going to save us but He is going to lead us, He calls us His beloved, His children, and we are not orphans. We want to rely on many things in this world, we want to rely on ourselves, but when we know that we belong to God, then we don’t need to worry anymore.
God said His burden is light, His yoke is easy, we belong to Him, and He is our God. The enemies that prosecute us and attack us will fade away. We must believe firmly, we are not just Sunday Christians, we are His people every moment of our lives, not just when we come to church. God will also give us inheritance, not by our doing, not by our hard work, but because of God’s willingness to bless.
It’s time for us to humble ourselves, to lower ourselves, to stop giving ourselves excuses and to stop letting the world stop us receiving God’s blessings. When we are in the low point, God will intervene, He will save, but we must wait for God’s timing. We think that the Word of God is very far away, we think that the words spoken by Pastor don’t belong to us, but we are unwilling to wait.
We should pray the Lord’s Prayer, ask God to give us today our daily bread, forgive our sins, and let all glories go to Him. God wants to save us, not just once but for eternity. God is love, His mercy endures forever. Where are we today? God is with us no matter what, but we must first get out of our cave, quiet down our hearts, praise God and wait on Him.
诗篇 136 – 神的子民要称赞耶和华
2023年5月24日 星期三
潘锡安牧师
我们的生活好像平淡如水，或者有很多冲击，亦或者自己觉得软弱无力、想要放弃，但神让我们看到他的真实，我们要来回应他，就能看到神的恩典。我们要如何有感恩的心、称赞耶和华？今天的经文帮助我们无论在怎样的环境都能有称谢神的心面对来自世界的挑战。
一、v. 1-3，v.26 称谢神的属性
我们要称谢的是“自有永有的”耶和华，他是好的，善的，美的，是开始也是末了。我们跟从神，要知道他是谁。他是自有永有的神，不是被人手所造的；他是“万神之神”，在众神之上，也是万王之王，统管万有。一个这样大有能力的神带给我们的不是惩罚和审判，而是慈爱。我们看到的神是怎样的神？我们平时看到的贫乏、压力、流泪吗？神并非要我们背负这些不如意，因为他是慈爱的。我们要明白带领着我们的神究竟是谁，他向我们所怀的赐平安的意念。当我们遇到不如意时，不要逃跑或怨天尤人，反而更要称谢神，他一定会为我们所遭遇的平反，因为他的慈爱永远长存。
二、v.4-9 称谢神的创造
我们平时可能会将自己跟神分割，以为只有在礼拜天去教会的时候才看到神。但原来，我们所站在的陆地并非意外出现，而是神创造的。他也创造光，让我们不会活在黑暗中；他创造陆地，让我们不会沉落到水下，而是可以脚踏实地。我们现在在哪里呢？我们是相信神，还是怀疑他？神的创造让我们能兴起发光！
三、v.10-25 称谢神的拯救
V10-11 神的拯救从埃及开始，那四百年为奴为仆的生活让以色列已经忘记神了，但神是慈爱的，他不愿意一人沉沦，而愿意万人得救。我们今天是否沉沦在自己的环境中？神要拯救我们！
V12 神要伸出大能的手，将我们带出自己的山洞、带出那些攻击我们、让我们自暴自弃的地方。
V13 我们的红海是什么呢？在我们觉得前面没有出路、很想要放弃的时候，要看到神的慈爱永远长存。我们不要害怕后面的追兵，因为神要带我们走过红海。
V16 神要引导自己的民，我们不是孤儿，不需要倚靠自己的力量、聪明、人脉、势力等等，因为我们属于那位自有永有的神，他创造穹苍，有谁能像他？我们是否只有在去教会的时候才属于神？其实我们一直属于他，他是我们的阿爸父！
V21-22 神赐给我们产业，我们不需要不择手段来夺地，我们愿意等候神吗？
V23 我们时常想为自己找出路、为自己创造一个世界，然而，只要我们愿意在卑微的低点时，神就记念我们，为我们出手。我们不愿意等神，不相信神，感觉牧者分享的信息很远，但是神要我们在我们的低点等候他，他会顾念我们，从敌人的手中救拔我们，也会赐日用的饮食给我们，正如主耶稣教导的主祷文所讲的那样。不要忘记神如何从我们过往的贫乏、从为奴为仆中拯救我们，他的拯救不是一次，而是永远的，因为神的慈爱永远长存。
无论我们今天的光景如何，神的慈爱陪伴我们，只要我们愿意在低点等候神，走出我们的山洞，愿意放下倚靠自己的冲动，安静下来，用称谢、赞美进入他的殿，神永远长存的慈爱就与我们同在！