Job 37:1  At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place. 2  Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth. 3  He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth. 4  After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard. 5  God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend. 6  For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength. 7  He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work. 8  Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places. 9  Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north. 10  By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened. 11  Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud: he scattereth his bright cloud: 12  And it is turned round about by his counsels: that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth. 13  He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy.

Isaiah 66:1  Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? 2  For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

In my last post, Silent Night ~ Not! ... , I challenged you to be offering up prayer for the Lord continually, as the Psalmist (and the Lord Himself) directs:

In that post I also mentioned the desire God has been giving me to be praying for reformation and revival in the Church. As the Church herself is reformed and revived, the Psalmist's prayer comes to fuller and fuller fruition:

As Christians, we are all poor, needy, and helpless sinners who were redeemed by the precious blood of the Lamb, so we might know the Father and the Son whom He sent (John 17:3); and in turn, that we might sent out into all the earth so lost souls from every tribe, every tongue, every people, and every nation would come to know Him (Rev. 5:9-10)... that the knowledge of the glory of the Lord would indeed fill the earth as the waters cover the seas (Habakkuk 2:14; Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 24:47). (Where don't the waters cover the seas?)

Many of you may be wondering what reformation and revival looks like, and why in the world I'm praying for these things, and why I am encouraging you to be praying along with me.

We too easily become accustomed to and comfortable with the Church as we have always known her ("we've always done things that way"), and what we think she should be, rather than seeking the face of God through the Bible and prayer, so we might begin to understand what God intends for us to be. All too often, we've been placated and pacified with a culture of religious mediocrity.

Much like the Church at Laodicea, we are full of ourselves, rather than full of the Spirit. Why? Because we don't see our need of Him. We get along quite fine with our own resources, working out of the flesh, keeping busy, busy, busy with all our programs and activities –– all the while we are oblivious to the fact that we are grieving the Holy Spirit of God, and for all intents and purposes we are shutting Him out of the Church. A.W. Tozer once said something to this effect:  if the Holy Spirit were to leave the Church, 95% of the activity would continue on as usual.

Are we taking time to taste, see, and savor our Bridegroom? Are we so busy that we don't hear Him knocking and hearing His strong desire to sup with us? So many of us are blinded to what Martyn Lloyd-Jones called "the great and glorious possibilities of the Christian life" (see here & here).

We look at our own lives and the Church, and we think that in comparison with the world around us, we are doing fairly well. And, well, I suppose many of us might rightly say we are. But how are we doing in comparison with the New Testament Church as we read of her in the book of Acts? How are we doing in comparison with the Church in times of revival? How are we doing in comparison to Jesus' words that those who believe on Him would do greater works than He had done?

We are thankful that Jesus, the Son of God, became incarnate, that He came in the flesh just over 2000 years ago, and we certainly look forward to His second coming, but few Christians today have any understanding that we are in desperate need of the Lord Himself to come again in the meantime, an advent of a different sort: – to pour out His Holy Spirit to revive His Church again. God has graciously done that very thing on certain blessed occasions throughout Church history, a repetition of what happened on the Day of Pentecost.

As I've mentioned previously (e.g.- see here & here) one of the most refreshing tonics to short-sightedness, myopia, lethargy, lukewarmness, and complacency in the Christian life is to read Christian biography and Church history, particularly accounts of past revivals.

In that vein, I present to you today a letter which Jonathan Edwards wrote to a minister in Boston on this date in 1743. In it, Edwards gives us a glimpse of what it looks like when God rends the heavens and comes down (Isaiah 64): a time when God arose and awakened (Psalm 44, Isaiah 51:9) and stretched out His hand (Psalm 138:7-8) for the sake of His holy name in New England almost 300 years ago.

Edwards' words below provide us a little window into what reformation and revival in the Church looks like, and they will also give you a little more insight into why I'm praying for reformation and revival. (The excerpt is from Chapter X of Edwards' Works, Vol. 1; I'd also encourage you to read the entire chapter, as well as Chapters VI, VII, VIII and IX.)

As you read Edwards' report of some of the wonderful work of God during the latter days of the First Great Awakening, I am praying that God might be pleased to send down His baptizing, holy fire into your soul, so you might have a clearer view of the current condition, that you might be sparked to make prayer for Christ continually, to plead day and night until the LORD rends the heavens and comes down again in reviving power as he did in New England:  that the LORD might shine once again upon His people (Psalm 80) in this 21st century as He did in the 18th century, that the Kingdom of Heaven would suffer violence, and there would be appearance of a glorious progress of the work of God. Perhaps a year from now we might be able to joyfully report to one another that the LORD has done great things for us (Psalm 126), that our mouths would be filled with laughter and our tongues with singing:  that He has signally blessed us as He did the people of New England! Even so, come, Lord Jesus! Revive Your work in the midst of the years! Let the whole earth be filled with Your glory!

“Northampton, Dec.12, 1743.
Rev. and Dear Sir,

Ever since the great work of God that was wrought here about nine years ago, there has been a great abiding alteration in this town in many respects. There has been vastly more religion kept up in the town, among all sorts of persons, in religious exercises and in common conversation than used to be before. There has remained a more general seriousness and decency in attending the public worship. There has been a very great alteration among the youth of the town with respect to reveling, frolicking, profane and unclean conversation, and lewd songs. Instances of fornication have been very rare. There has also been a great alteration among both old and young with respect to tavern haunting. I suppose the town has been in no measure so free of vice in these respects for any long time together for this sixty years as it has been this nine years past.

There has also been an evident alteration with respect to a charitable spirit to the poor (though I think with regard to this in this town, as the land in general, come far short of Gospel rules). And though after that great work nine years ago there has been a very lamentable decay of religious affections and the engagedness of people's spirit in religion, yet many societies for prayer and social religion were all along kept up; and there were some few instances of awakening and deep concern about the doings of another world, even in the most dead time.

In the year 1740, in the spring, before Mr. Whitefield came to this town, there was a visible alteration. There was more seriousness and religious conversation, especially among young people; those things that were of ill tendency among them were more forborne. And it was a more frequent thing for persons to visit their minister upon soul accounts; and in some particular persons there appeared a great alteration about that time. And thus it continued till Mr. Whitefield came to town, which was about the middle of October following. He preached here four sermons in the meeting-house (besides a private lecture at my house)-one on Friday, another on Saturday, and two upon the Sabbath. The congregation was extraordinarily melted by every sermon; almost the whole assembly being in tears for a great part of sermon time. Mr. Whitefield's sermons were suitable to the circumstances of the town, containing just reproofs of our backslidings, and, in a most moving and affecting manner, making use of our great profession and great mercies as arguments with us to return to God, from whom we had departed.

Immediately after this, the minds of the people in general appeared more engaged in religion, showing a greater forwardness to make religion the subject of their conversation, and to meet frequently together for religious purposes, and to embrace all opportunities to hear the Word preached. The revival at first appeared chiefly among professors and those that had entertained the hope that they were in a state of grace, to whom Mr. Whitefield chiefly addressed himself. But in a very short time there appeared an awakening and deep concern among some young persons that looked upon themselves as in a Christless state; and there were some hopeful appearances of conversion; and some professors were greatly revived.

In about a month or six weeks, there was a great alteration in the town, both as to the revivals of professors and awakenings of others. By the middle of December, a very considerable work of God appeared among those that were very young; and the revival of religion continued to increase; so that in the spring an engagedness of spirit about things of religion was become very general among young people and children, and religious subjects almost wholly took up their conversation when they were together.

In the month of May 1741, a sermon was preached to a company at a private house. Near the conclusion of the exercise, one or two persons that were professors were so greatly affected with a sense of the greatness and glory of divine things, and the infinite importance of the things of eternity, that they were not able to conceal it; the affection of their minds overcoming their strength, and having a very visible effect on their bodies. When the exercise was over, the young people that were present removed into the other room for religious conference; and particularly that they might have opportunity to inquire of those that were thus affected what apprehensions they had, and what things they were that thus deeply impressed their minds. And there soon appeared a very great effect of their conversation; the affection was quickly propagated through the room; many of the young people and children that were professors appeared to be overcome with a sense of the greatness and glory of divine things, and with admiration, love, joy and praise, and compassion to others that looked upon themselves as in a state of nature. And many others at the same time were overcome with distress about their sinful and miserable state and condition; so that the whole room was full of nothing but outcries, faintings, and suchlike.

Others soon heard of it, in several parts of the town, and came to them; and what they saw and heard there was greatly affecting to them; so that many of them were overpowered in like manner. And it continued thus for some hours, the time spent in prayer, singing, counseling, and conferring. There seemed to be a consequent happy effect of that meeting to several particular persons, and in the state of religion in the town in general. After this were meetings from time to time attended with like appearances.

But a little after it, at the conclusion of the public exercise on the Sabbath, I appointed the children that were under sixteen years of age to go from the meetinghouse to a neighbor house, that I there might further enforce what they had heard in public, and might give in some counsels proper for their age. The children were there very generally and greatly affected with the warnings and counsels that were given them, and many exceedingly overcome; and the room was filled with cries. And when they were dismissed, they, almost all of them, went home crying aloud through the streets, to all parts of the town. The like appearances attended several such meetings of children that were appointed.

But their affections appeared by what followed to be of a very different nature; in many they appeared to be indeed but childish affections, and in a day or two would leave them as they were before. Others were deeply impressed; their convictions took fast hold of them and abode by them. And there were some that from one meeting to another seemed extraordinarily affected for some time, to but little purpose, their affections presently vanishing, from time to time; but yet afterward were seized with abiding convictions, and their affections became durable.

About the middle of the summer, I called together the young people that were communicants, from sixteen to twenty-six years of age, to my house; which proved to be a most happy meeting. Many seemed to be very greatly and most agreeably affected with those views which excited humility, self-condemnation, self-abhorrence, love, and joy; many fainted under these affections. We had several meetings that summer of young people attended with like appearances. It was about that time that there first began to be cryings out in the meetinghouse; which several times occasioned many of the congregation to stay in the house after the public exercise was over, to confer with those who seemed to be overcome with religious convictions and affection which was found to tend much to the propagation of their impressions, with lasting effect upon many, conference being at these times commonly joined with prayer and singing. In the summer and fall, the children in various parts of the town had religious meetings by themselves for prayer, sometimes joined with fasting; wherein many of them seemed to be greatly and properly affected, and I hope some of them savingly wrought upon.

The months of August and September were the most remarkable of any this year, for appearances of conviction and conversion of sinners, and great revivings, quickenings, and comforts of professors, and for extraordinary external effects of these things. It was a very frequent thing to see a houseful of outcries, faintings, convulsions, and suchlike, both with distress and also with admiration and joy. It was not the manner here to hold meetings all night, as in some places, nor was it common to continue them until very late in the night; but it was pretty often so that there were some that were so affected, and their bodies so overcome, that they could not go home, but were obliged to stay all night at the house where they were. There was no difference that I know of here, with regard to the extraordinary effects, in meetings in night and in the daytime. The meetings which these effects appeared in the evening being commonly begun, and their extraordinary effects, in the day, and continued in the evening; and some meetings have been very remarkable for such extraordinary effects that were both begun and finished in the daytime.

There was an appearance of a glorious progress of the work of God upon the hearts of sinners in conviction and conversion this summer and fall; and great numbers. I think we have reason to hope, were brought savingly home to Christ. But this was remarkable, the work of God in His influences of this nature seemed to be almost wholly upon a new generation; those that were not come to years of discretion an that wonderful season nine years ago, children, or those that were then children. Others that had enjoyed that former glorious opportunity without any appearance of saving benefit seemed now to be almost wholly passed over and let alone. But now we had the most wonderful work among children that ever was in Northampton. The former great outpouring of the spirit was remarkable for influences upon the minds of children, beyond all that had ever been before; but this far exceeded that.

Indeed, as to influences on the minds of professors, this work was by no means confined to a new generation. Many of all ages partook of it; but, yet, in this respect, it was more general on those that were of the younger sort. Many that had formerly been wrought upon, that in the times of our declension had fallen into decays, and had in a great measure left God and gone after the world, now passed under a very remarkable new work of the spirit of God, as if they had been the subjects of a second conversion. They were first led into the wilderness, and had a work of conviction, having much greater convictions of the sin of both nature and practice than ever before (though with some new circumstances, and something new in the kind of conviction) in some with great distress, beyond what they had felt before their first conversion.

Under these convictions they were excited to strive for salvation, and the Kingdom of Heaven suffered violence from some of them in a far more remarkable manner than before. And after great convictions and humblings and agonizings with God, they had Christ discovered to them anew, as an All-sufficient Savior, and in the glories of His grace, and in a far more clear manner than before; and with greater humility, self-emptiness, and brokenness of heart, and a purer and higher joy, and greater desires after holiness of life, but with greater self-diffidence and distrust of their treacherous hearts.

One circumstance wherein this work differed from that which had been in the town five or six years before was that conversions were frequently wrought more sensibly and visibly; the impressions stronger and more manifest by external effects of them; and the progress of the spirit of God in conviction, from step to step, more apparent; and the transition from one state to another more sensible and plain; so that it might, in many instances, be as it were seen by bystanders. The preceding season had been very remarkable on this account beyond what had been before; but this more remarkable than that. And in this season these apparent or visible conversions (if I may so call them) were more frequently in the presence of others, at religious meetings, where the appearances of what was wrought on the heart fell under public observation. . . .

In the beginning of the summer 1742, there seemed to be some abatement of the liveliness of people's affections in religion; but yet many were often in a great height of them. And in the fall and winter following, there were at times extraordinary appearances. But in the general, people's engagedness in religion and the liveliness of their affections have been on the decline; and some of the young people, especially, have shamefully lost their liveliness and vigor in religion, and much of the seriousness and solemnity of their spirits. But there are many that walk as becomes saints; and, to this day, there are a considerable number in the town that seem to be near to God, and maintain much of the life of religion, and enjoy many of the sensible tokens and fruits of His gracious presence.

With respect to the late season of revival of religion among us for three or four years past, it has been observable that in the former part of it, in the years 1740 and 1741, the work seemed to be much more pure, having less of a corrupt mixture, than in the former great outpouring of the spirit in 1735 and 1736. Persons seemed to be sensible of their former errors, and had learned more of their own hearts, and experience had taught them more of the tendency and consequences of things. They were now better guarded, and their affections were not only greater but attended with greater solemnity, and greater humility and self-distrust, and greater engagedness after holy living and perseverance; and there were fewer errors in conduct.

But in the latter part of it, in the year 1742, it was otherwise. The work continued more pure, till we were infected from abroad. Our people, hearing and some of them seeing the work in other places where there was a greater visible commotion than here, and the outward appearances were more extraordinary, were ready to think that the work in those places far excelled what was among us; and their eyes were dazzled with the high profession and great show that some made who came hither from other places.

That those people went so far beyond them in raptures and violent emotions of the affections and a vehement zeal, and what they called boldness for Christ, our people were ready to think was owing to their far greater attainments in grace and intimacy with Heaven. They looked little in their own eyes in comparison of them, and were ready to submit themselves to them, and yield themselves up to their conduct, taking it for granted that everything was right that they said and did. These things. had a strange influence on the people, gave many of them a deep and unhappy tincture, that it was a hard and long labor to deliver them from and which some them are not fully delivered from to this day.

The effects and consequences of things among us plainly shows the following things, viz.: that the degree of grace is no means to be judged of by the degree of joy, or the degree of zeal; and that indeed we cannot at all determine by these things who are gracious and who are not; and that it as not the degree of religious affections but the nature of them that is chiefly to be looked at. Some that have had very great raptures of joy, and have been extraordinarily filled (as the vulgar phrase is), and have had their bodies overcome, and that very often have manifested far less of the temper of Christians in their conduct since than some others that have been still and have made no great outward show. But then again there are many others that have extraordinary joys and emotions of mind, with frequent great effects on their bodies, that behave themselves steadfastly as humble, amiable, eminent Christians

'Tis evident that there may be great religious affections that may, in show and; appearance, imitate gracious affections, and have the same effects on their bodies, but are far from having the same effect in the temper of their minds and course of their lives. And likewise there is nothing more manifest by what appears among us than that the goodness of persons' state is not chiefly to be judged of by any exactness of steps and method of experiences in what is supposed to be the first conversion; but that we must judge more by the spirit that breathes, the effect wrought on the temper of the soul, in the time of the work, and remaining afterward.

Though there have been very few instances among professors among us of what is ordinarily called scandalous sin known to me, yet the temper that some of them show and the behavior they have been of, together with some things in the kind and circumstances of their experiences, make me much afraid lest there be a considerable number that have woefully deceived themselves. Though, on the other hand, there is a great number whose temper and conversation as such as justly confirms the charity of others toward them; and not a few in whose disposition and walk there are amiable appearances of eminent grace. And notwithstanding all the corrupt mixtures that have been in the late work here, there are not only many blessed fruits of it in particular persons that yet remain, but some good effects of it upon the town in general.

A party spirit has more ceased. I suppose there has been less appearance these three or four years past of that division of the town into two parties, that has long been our bane, than has been these thirty years. And the people have apparently had much more caution and a greater guard on their spirit and their tongues to avoid contention and unchristian heats in town meetings and on other occasions. And 'tis a thing greatly to be rejoiced in, that the people very lately have come to an agreement and final issue with respect to their grand controversy relating to their common lands; which has been above any other particular thing a source of mutual prejudices, jealousies, and debates for fifteen or sixteen years past.

The people are also generally of late in some respects considerably altered and meliorated in their notions of religion, particularly they seem to be much more sensible of the danger of resting in old experiences, or what they were subjects of at their supposed first conversion; and to be more fully convinced of the necessity of forgetting the things that are behind and pressing forward, and maintaining earnest labor, watchfulness, and prayerfulness as long as they live.

I am, Rev. Sir,
Your friend and brother,
Jonathan Edwards”

(Source: Jonathan Edwards' Works I, Chapter X ~ http://www.ccel.org/ccel/edwards/works1.i.x.html)

Related:

• Revival resources, etc.
• More revival resources: opportunity and eyes to see the ruins, a burden from God
• The Day of Pentecost ... the first of a series (Martyn Lloyd-Jones on revival)
• Bible Reading: Acts – Some Questions the Church Should Be Asking
• Naphtali News: the Ministry of the Word & Prayer (see the second portion on prayer)
• Here I stand & from here I cast (devoted to prayer & the ministry of the Word)
• Are you storming heaven – or are you sleeping?
• Prayer & Revival in Ireland (R.A. Torrey) & Livingstone in Africa: Are we in our closets?
• Reformation Rebels: Are you willing to be a rebel for the sake of the Church?
• Postcards from England: "the fog is lifting on My Church"
• postcards from England: "The Burden for Revival" (ML-J)
• postcards from England: are we excited over a dead fish and a car wreck?
• 492 years later: You say you want a reformation? (my theses and a call to prayer)
• the lost treasures of Christianity & the call to pray for revival (Bible reading: Ezra 1)
• many will come and deceive - will you do whatever it takes?
• Do we care more for manatees than for His flock?
• adopting God's purpose for the nations is for your joy & His glory (Letter 76 on joy)

Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Work found at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:El_Greco_006.jpg  / CC BY-SA 3.0

Work found at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jonathan_Edwards.jpg / {{PD-Art|PD-old-100}}

In the midst of the overflowing appeals for charity stuffing our mailboxes (both real & virtual) this season, we are often led to question ourselves... Am I giving what I ought? Am I giving out of a right heart? Are my motives pure, or am I giving to be seen of men? Am I a cheerful giver? etc., etc.

In Psalm 72, we find a wonderful verse tucked away which describes some of the gifts that the redeemed of the Lord ought to be presenting to Him. ... But before we get there, I'd like to set the stage...

Though Psalm 72 is not considered by all a to be a Messianic Psalm (don't ask me why), this royal Psalm finds its ultimate fulfillment in the everlasting, universal reign of the Lord Jesus Christ: the One greater than Solomon –– the King of kings and the Lord of lords Whose reign has been from everlasting to everlasting and Whose dominion will be from sea to sea, all the way to the ends of the earth; a Kingdom in which every knee in heaven and under earth will bow to Him and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God His Father, and all His enemies will lick the dust (~ see Isaiah 45:23; Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:9-11; Psalm 2).

Eternal redemption was purchased and secured through the shedding of Christ's precious blood:

Hebrews 9:11  But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12  Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

And eternal redemption is received by grace through faith in Christ's precious blood:

Romans 3:21  But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God which is through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth to be a propitiation by His blood through faith to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Before I go on to talk about our giving gifts to Jesus, you need to examine your own soul. Have you received God's free gift of eternal redemption, eternal life? That's the first and vital thing because apart from believing on Christ, Jesus Himself tells us that our default state is this: "condemned already" (John 3:18). In Romans 6:23, the apostle Paul tells us "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." If you have more questions about this, please read through the first several chapters of Romans and/or leave a comment below and/or message me. (You may also find it helpful to check out the linked posts on salvation at the end of this post.)

Only after that's settled can you begin to consider your own giving. Your eternal soul is at stake. There will be a day of judgment when Christ comes again, and Jesus warns us: we will either be raised to everlasting punishment or eternal life (Matthew 25:46 - BTW:  the Greek word there for "everlasting" is the same as the word "eternal." In other words, for those of you who have read Rob Bell and believe him –– you are sadly mistaken and deceived into thinking there is no eternity in hell. My friends, if you die apart from Christ, you will be cast into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, where your worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched (Matthew 25:30, Mark 9:48 ~ and yes, those are quotations from the Gospels –– they are the words spoken by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, the one who is coming again to judge the living and the dead). Today is the day of salvation; harden not your hearts. May God give you ears to hear Him and come to Christ and flee the wrath to come!

Apart from having Christ's perfect righteousness credited to us through faith, God considers all our best attempts at trying to justify ourselves in the eyes of God to be as "filthy rags." And, in fact, the thrice holy God looks upon us in our fallen state and considers each and every one of us as "an unclean thing" (see Psalm 64:6; Romans 3:9-20). In other words, no matter how good you may look on the outside, no matter how many good deeds you may have performed, no matter whether you've been relatively successful at keeping your own nose clean, no matter if you've been baptized, no matter how many church services you've attended, no matter if you're a church member, no matter how much you've given to the poor, etc., etc.  –– none of that matters in the eyes of God in terms of your standing before Him. After those verses I quoted above from Romans 3, the apostle Paul writes this in verse 27: "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law."

And in the verses following, Paul explains the way of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ is for all peoples, for both the Jews and the Gentiles. We've all been born into Adam, we are all credited/imputed with his sin (original sin), and we all are in need of salvation. In other words, no matter who you are, no matter where you live, no matter your nationality, no matter your family upbringing –– your own works can never justify you, they can never give you a right standing before God. A holy God cannot look upon sin or abide even a speck of sin in His presence. All of our best works can never atone for our sin. Malachi 3:2 “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears?" Only through the shedding of Christ's blood is there forgiveness of sins. Each one of us needs to come to Christ to have the slate wiped clean through the blood of Jesus Christ, which cleanses us from the guilt of all our sin (past, present, and future), and to have the pure and perfect righteousness of Christ imputed/credited to us, so we might be able to stand before God blameless and unashamed in the day of judgment. Romans 5:18  Therefore, as through one man’s [Adam] offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s [Christ's] righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s [Adam's] disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s [Christ's] obedience many will be made righteous.

Now, back to Psalm 72...

The Psalmist is looking forward to Christ's Kingdom and Christ's eternal redemption of the poor and needy...

For He will deliver the needy when he cries,
The poor also, and him who has no helper.
He will spare the poor and needy,
And will save the souls of the needy.
He will redeem their life from oppression and violence;
And precious shall be their blood in His sight.
(v. 12-14)

Luke 7:44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman?
I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet,
but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.
45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.
46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.
47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.
But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

Who are we but dust and ashes, and yet! –– while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us! As we gain a spiritual sight of our Savior as the all-surpassing treasure, we cannot help but freely offer all our treasures to Him, to break our alabaster flasks in extravagant, overflowing, lavish worship, just as the sinful woman did with her alabaster flask (Luke 7, Mark 14, Matthew 26)...  just as our Father did when He gave His only begotten Son to die in our place; just as the Lamb of God did when He willingly laid down His life for His sheep; just as our God, who was rich in mercy, did when He bestowed His gift of salvation upon poor, needy, and helpless sinners like us; just as our God does, as He freely pours out the gift of His Holy Spirit on all those who ask Him. Freely we have received from Him, let us freely give to Him, for He alone is worthy! Worthy is the Lamb who was slain! Worthy of all we have and worthy of all we are! Like the wise men who saw the young Child, may the Holy Spirit bless us with a spiritual sight of the glories of the Savior and of His gift of salvation, so we might be constrained by the love of Christ to fall down and worship Him, and open our treasures and present gifts to Him!

That he shall be honoured and beloved by all his subjects (15): He shall live; his subjects shall desire his life (O king! live for ever) and with good reason; for he has said, Because I live, you shall live also; and of him it is witnessed that he liveth, ever liveth, making intercession, Heb. vii. 8, 25. He shall live, and live prosperously; and, 1. Presents shall be made to him. Though he shall be able to live without them, for he needs neither the gifts nor the services of any, yet to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba--gold, the best of metals, gold of Sheba, which probably was the finest gold; for he that is best must be served with the best. Those that have abundance of the wealth of this world, that have gold at command, must give it to Christ, must serve him with it, do good with it. Honour the Lord with thy substance. 2. Prayers shall be made for him, and that continually. The people prayed for Solomon, and that helped to make him and his reign so great a blessing to them. It is the duty of subjects to make prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, for kings and all in authority, not in compliment to them, as is too often done, but in concern for the public welfare. But how is this applied to Christ? He needs not our prayers, nor can have any benefit by them. But the Old-Testament saints prayed for his coming, prayed continually for it; for they called him, He that should come. And now that he has come we must pray for the success of his gospel and the advancement of his kingdom, which he calls praying for him (Hosanna to the Son of David, prosperity to his reign), and we must pray for his second coming. It may be read, Prayer shall be made through him, or for his sake; whatsoever we ask of the Father shall be in his name and in dependence upon his intercession. 3. Praises shall be made of him, and high encomiums given of his wisdom, justice, and goodness: Daily shall he be praised. By praying daily in his name we give him honour. Subjects ought to speak well of the government that is a blessing to them; and much more ought all Christians to praise Jesus Christ, daily to praise him; for they owe their all to him, and to him they lie under the highest obligations.