Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant

Psalm 135 1:21

Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant. For the Lord has chosen Jacob to be his own, Israel to be his treasured possession.

I know that the Lord is great, that our Lord is greater than all gods. The Lord does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths. He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; he sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses.

Your name, Lord, endures forever, your renown, Lord, through all generations. For the Lord will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants.

The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see.

Praise be to the Lord from Zion, to him who dwells in Jerusalem.

Why?

All of us, all human beings should praise the Lord, especially those who belong to the Lord. 

Yes our Lord is greater than all gods. The Lord does whatever pleases him. 

My Lord will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants.

How?

Praise the Lord no matter if I meet anything, for the Lord has compassion for his servants.

長老治會 使20:28

 長老治會 林義順長老

義人必因信得勝，信是堅立。

背景是保羅第三次旅行佈道。在以弗所，當地有著名的神廟。當時羅馬帝國宗教中心。邪術的中心。

第一個英文字是謹慎，pay attention to英文。長老的身份是全群的監督 ，聖靈所立的，。這是這節的兩個重點 。

神的牧人照顧羊羣。教會中神的牧人不斷供應羊屬靈糧食。保護羊群。長老與牧師不同。來源不同，本質不同，長老必須來自羊群！所以教會要栽培長老。

長老有權柄，責任與其他同工不同 

長老是監督者。同工不要把自己責任擔到比負責的人更高。責任感不能拿走。不能不管，例如要讓孩子知道寫作業是他自己的責任，長老不要去擔同工的責任，反之依然。

也要給長老學習的機會。讓長老學習裁決，不是全部表決。

長老有錯，同工可以批評，但是要因著愛，為教會的成長而批評 

Praise the Lord

Psalm 134:1-3

Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord who minister by night in the house of the Lord.
2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord. May the Lord bless you from Zion, he who is the Maker of heaven and earth.

Why?

Declare the Lord who is the Maker of heaven and earth. Every servant of the Lord should lift up our hands in the church and praise the Lord.

How?

Worship the Lord in the church and praise the Lord lift up our hands. Our God is a living God who is the maker of this world.

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity

Psalm 133:1-3

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!

It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.

Why?

How good and pleasant is when God's people live together in unity because we have the same leader and love. And every Christian should love each other.

But for the sins among us, it is not easy for every God's people to live together in unity.

The best blessing is the Lord bestows his blessing and life forever.

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弟兄和睦相處。然而事實上兄弟姊妹間常常彼此相爭，彼此殘害對方。教會中也是如此。不和睦和和睦那個比較常見，然而弟兄姊妹共同服事，往往磨擦紛爭。所以和睦同居很珍貴的！以橄欖油膏抹在亞倫頭上身上，流過頭上又流到衣襟，非常多，表示極珍貴。黑門山在以色列東北，鈞錫安山道路相隔約400公里，甘露是露水，量極少，黑門山降到錫安山，耶路撒冷，必須流經猶大全地，形容這樣的美德影響以色列全地，全地蒙祝福，和睦同居必須要有時聖靈澆灌。遠在400公里外都蒙祝福，神不吝嗇的！教會是蒙福的中心，教會蒙福、全地也蒙福！

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How?

Love everyone around me, for God is love from the beginning.

If your sons keep my covenant and the statutes I teach them

Psalm 132:1-18

Lord, remember David and all his self-denial. He swore an oath to the Lord, he made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob: “I will not enter my house or go to my bed, I will allow no sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, till I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

May your priests be clothed with your righteousness;  may your faithful people sing for joy.’” For the sake of your servant David, do not reject your anointed one.

The Lord swore an oath to David, a sure oath he will not revoke: “One of your own descendants I will place on your throne. If your sons keep my covenant and the statutes I teach them, then their sons will sit on your throne for ever and ever.”

For the Lord has chosen Zion,  he has desired it for his dwelling, saying, “This is my resting place for ever and ever;  here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it. I will bless her with abundant provisions; her poor I will satisfy with food. I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her faithful people will ever sing for joy.

Why?

The Lord heard the prayer of David, and the Lord answered to David and gave the promise. If your sons keep my covenant and the statutes I teach them, then their sons will sit on your throne forever and ever.

The Lord has chosen Zion as God's dwelling, this is the blessing of the Lord comes upon Israel.

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大衛心中不安因為神的居所仍在會幕，聖殿來未建，如此的不安成為受苦，為神擔心、掛念受苦。顯示愛主的心。

對主的愛有三種層次，1)所想的都是惡2) 以神的事為念，動機對，但是不見得是神願意的，3)專心體會查驗驗神的心意。

神要在大衛的子孫建立家室，永遠守神的律例，神不要大衛建殿。

v11-18 是神的回應。v13-15對應v5，神自己選房子，神要住在錫安。神來選擇 

v9 對應 V16 我要使祭司披上救恩，聖民大聲歡呼。人怎麼有公義呢?歡呼->大歡呼

v10對應v11-12 v17 永遠掌權、蒙福，我為我的受膏者預備明燈，走正確的道路。冠冕要在頭上發光，得尊貴，得榮耀！

當人用自己的想法，很積極，很不安，但是神要先建立、堅固我們！

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How?

Keep God's covenant and the statutes God taught us. The blessing of the Lord will be with us forever.

put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore

 Psalm 131:1-3

My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content(like a weaned child is my soul within me).

Israel put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore.

Why?
We could do something different, or something great. But before the Lord we are nothing, be humble in my heart, and do not be haughty in my eyes.

Put my hope in the Lord forever don't do anything more than I can do.

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透露完全依靠主的心。

130篇在深處求告神赦罪的恩典！人在罪惡中極痛苦。

131篇罪得赦免，心裏安穩。生命的改變後，完全依靠神享受安穩。不是不做事，而是跟隨主的道路，不要憑著自己的想法、熱誠、血氣、策略可而行。例如摩西的熱心打死一個埃及人，大衛數點軍隊，誰會常閱兵，無非是狂傲的人。我們是跟隨主在走，還是走在主的前面。不要自作聰明！斷過奶的嬰孩，不會再依靠奶！不要去依靠什麼東西或是方法，完全的依靠主，孩子斷奶，只要安穩在母親懷中，無憂無慮。

大衛認識到依靠耶和華這麼好，以色列全國百姓是否也要來依靠耶和華。通常國王在乎的是權利，是否有人要造反，自己滿足最重要。大衛盼望更多的人也享受在神的恩典中。

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How?

put my hope in the Lord both now and forevermore!

But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you

Psalm 130:1-8

Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord;  Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.

If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.

Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.

Why?

If the Lord kept a record of sins, no one could stand. But with the forgiveness of the Lord, we can serve the Lord with reverence.

Do I really wait for the Lord? But I know that in God's word, I put my hope.

My God is full of unfailing love and I know with him is full redemption.

How?

Wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word, I put my hope.