Praise the Lord (#3)
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