“That They Not Die in Vain” Psalm 85:1-13

TRANSCRIPT

Date: May 24, 2026 Author: Wayne J. Edwards

In my 11th-grade U.S. History class, Mrs. W.L. Green required each student to memorize and recite this portion of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. “Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that the nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate — we cannot consecrate — we cannot hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” Building on the theme ‘that these dead shall not have died in vain,’ we offer this Memorial Day sermon. We encourage you to review the attached study guide, discuss it with friends and family, and actively share it with those who may benefit. Thank you for your continued support. Please share these guides with anyone who may find them helpful.

In my 11th-grade U.S. History class, Mrs. W.L. Green required each student to memorize and recite this portion of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.

“Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that the nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate — we cannot consecrate — we cannot hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Building on the theme ‘that these dead shall not have died in vain,’ we offer this Memorial Day sermon. We encourage you to review the attached study guide, discuss it with friends and family, and actively share it with those who may benefit.

Thank you for your continued support. Please share these guides with anyone who may find them helpful.

Download the following translated Sermon guides:

Reading of the Old Testament Scriptures – Deut. 10:12-21 Reading of the New Testament Scriptures – Galatians 5:13-26

Americans can and should debate the merits of entering into war, but there should be no debate about our debt to those who answered the nation’s call to war, and in doing so, sacrificed their lives.

A brief history of Memorial Day:

A brief background to Psalm 85:

The parallels and applications to our day:

David remembered being in captivity and out of fellowship with God, and then he remembered how God’s favor was expressed toward them in restoring that fellowship by:

On a personal level:

On a national level:

Even though David was thankful to God for returning them to the land, he also knew the people were not truly right with the Lord – they needed a “national repentance”

As we see the level of ungodliness today, even among those who claim to be Christians, we can see the need for a genuine, heaven-sent, Holy Spirit Revival in America.

Having removed God’s Word as the absolute Standard of Truth, the values of society are subject to one’s worldview.

For the true Christian:

Having expressed the need for genuine revival, and having determined that such a revival could only come from God, David outlined his plan of action, which we must follow:

No one knows the future for America, save God alone, but if God allows us to recover, it will require two things:

SUGGESTIONS FOR CELEBRATING MEMORIAL DAY!

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