August 29, 2021

Praise the Lord (#3)

Preacher:
Passage: Psalm 150:1-6, Psalm 148:1-14
Service Type:

Introduction

Explosions of praise

Ps 148 – 12 times – “praise the Lord” or calls on man/creation to praise God
Ps 150 – 13 summons to praise God
25 times – there is a call to praise the Lord

Reaching a high point in the book of Psalms

Ps 148:1
Ps 150:6

An expression of joy, awe and wonder

Do we always feel like praising God? – examples
Not always
Is our one desire to always give God the glory

Overview:

Praise from the heaven (Ps 148:1-6)
Praise from the earth (Ps 148:7-13)
Praise from the redeemed (Ps 148:14 & Ps 150)

Praise from the heaven (Ps 148:1-6)

v1 – It is amazing that sinful man can call the angels to praise God

Praise the Lord
Hallel – boast in the Lord

v2 – Angels boast not in themselves but in the Lord

Many examples from Scripture

v3 – Calling on creation to praise God

Something of the lustre praises God

cf Ps 19

Speaks of the majesty and perfection of God

God is speaking through the elements

v4 – All transcendent
v5 – All of creation is to declare His name
v6 – Established forever

God will renew creation

The Psalmist thinking of the new heaven and earth

God has made such a complex creation

Evolution and the great intracy by chance is foolish
Ps 33:6, Heb 11:3

Praise from the earth (Ps 148:7-13)

v7 – The creatures

Ps 89:5, Ps 95:5
Ps 104:26, Col 1:16

v8 – The elements

It all speaks of the mighty power of God
God is sovereign over all His creation

v9 – The wonder of a rugged terrain

We see the hand of our Maker
The vegetation

v10 – Wild and domesticated animals

The wild and the things we can tame

v11-12 – Man

All of mankind
The call from v7 is to “praise the Lord”
This is his one desire

Will this be our desire?

Praise from the redeemed (Ps 148:14 & Ps 150)

Ps 148:14 – Out of all the people on the earth – there is one set of people that are close to Him

The world is cut off in our trespasses and sins
We have been brought near and forgiven
We have been reconciled
The ‘True Israel’

Ps 150:1 – Come into the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus Christ
Ps 150:2 – We praise God for His mighty acts

Examples – creation, redemption, might acts
We have much more reason to praise God – for the Lord Jesus Christ

Ps 150:3-5 – Taken up with the praise of God

All the instruments – a huge orchestra
Dance was a national event – especially in the context of victories and times of celebration
Not a model for New Testament worship

Principles – God should have the best
Worship should be from the heart
1 Chronicles 13:8
Nothing half hearted

Ps 150:6

Not to be worked up but to worship in spirit and truth
Lift up holy hands and worship with a pure heart

Closing Remarks