Great Is the Lord! – Psalm 145:1-21
Great Is the Lord! – Psalm 145:1-21
By Pastor Lee Hemen
May 3, 2020
How do you tell someone that they are doing a great job? Do slap them on the back and give them an “attaboy”? A high five or perhaps bake them cookies or a cake? We are all told to give out positive reinforcement to those we work with, our kids, and others but what about the Lord? Of course we often do not think that God needs our praise but nothing could be further from the truth because we are commanded to praise him.
Here in this Psalm of David we find him praising the Lord and telling him just how great he is. During this time when we are faced with what seem dire circumstances, it can become difficult to praise the Lord but it is specifically during such times we should do so. And this morning as we look at the words of David’s Psalm we will discover just how great is the Lord…
READ: Psalm 145
In the 1970s people were encouraged to “find yourself”. The idea was that with personal introspection you could discover who you were and thereby find inner peace. The problem was too many discovered they did not like themselves. We first discover that David shares with us…
I. How his people should praise God! (Vv. 1-7)
I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name forever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds. They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
1. We will learn that David begins and ends his poem with the idea that he would “praise [God’s] name forever and ever”. David knew who God was and the he was to “exalt” lift up his “God and King”. We see that David offers the advice that “Every day I will praise you and extol your name forever and ever.” This is what those who say they love the Lord or those who say they believe in God should do! Praise for God is not a onetime thing or done only when we feel good about ourselves or him. It’s a forever thing! David had come to realize what few of us in our day and age truly understand concerning the Lord, namely that “Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.” To the church at Ephesus the Apostle Paul wrote about God’s “glorious riches” in much the same way when he desired his fellow believers to know “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses [all] knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19 NIV)” David like Paul understood that no one could fathom God’s greatness but they could express it! Those who walk with the Lord understand this truth full well. In fact in a beautiful soliloquy David expounds that future generations “will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds. They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.” And in truth that is exactly what we are doing when we read David’s words whether we like it or not! As we read these words they can become our praise and in this David gives us a wonderful example in how his people should praise God!
EXAMPLE: “Wow, would you look at that!” exclaimed one of the people who were watching baby Mountain Goats scramble up a nearly vertical rock face. There were a lot more exclamations of wonder from folks standing there watching. They were amazed and in awe of what they were experiencing together; this how believers should respond to the Lord as well. We should be willing like David to speak to others about God’s splendor and majesty, meditate on his works, and proclaim to others about who he is and what he does in our lives. David gives us a wonderful example in how his people should praise God!
It can be tough for some to come to the realization of who they truly are. My father would tell us that “Confession is good for the soul.” My Dad hated liars and it’s why he wanted his children to be truthful especially about ourselves. Secondly, we discover that in honest clarity David shares with us…
II. What God should be praised for! (Vv. 8-16)
The LORD is gracious and compassionate; slow to anger and rich in love. The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. All you have made will praise you, O LORD; your saints will extol you. They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
1. David with all of his faults always came back to the realization that he could only be who he was because of who God was. This can be easy for some but quite hard for others to swallow because we have a tendency to blame God for our circumstance. But David understood a truth that some fail to ever realize, that “The LORD is gracious and compassionate; slow to anger and rich in love.” David intrinsically understood that he did not get what he truly deserved because of had, like all of us; he would be so much ash! This why he sang, “The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.” David continued by telling the Lord, “All you have made will praise you, O LORD; your saints will extol you. They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.” The idea here is that on that final day no matter what you believed about God you will be forced to give him praise because of who he is! It is the notion of giving an account for one’s actions. Jesus taught “that men will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned. (Matthew 12:36-37 NIV)” Then David gives us three truths: God’s kingdom is forever, he keeps his promises, and he honors those who give themselves to him in faith: “Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.” David knew that those who trust in God understand that all they have in life he has given them: “The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.” In this Psalm David teaches us what God should be praised for!
EXAMPLE: If anyone should praise God it should be Christians. We know what we were before we came to Christ and we know how he has changed us. When I was a fairly new believer most believers focused on what was to come rather than what they now enjoyed because of the Lord. God has given his people wonderful things to enjoy in the future certainly but he has also given us so much to praise him for right now. Yes, that includes what we are going through with this virus. I am glad that in this Psalm David teaches us what God should be praised for!
I am constantly teaching my grandkids that there are three “magic” phrases everyone should use: Please, thank you, and you’re welcome! This kind of what praise for God’s people is all about and lastly, David reminds us…
III. Why we should praise God! (Vv. 17-21)
The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name forever and ever.
1. It is here in this Psalm we learn four eternal truths concerning God and how he relates to mankind. These truths are just as real today as when David sang of them thousands of years ago. David succinctly relates the first truth in that “The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made.” God is always holy and he always loves his handiwork, including us. The Scripture reaffirms this over and over for us. David could do so because he had experienced God. Peter reminds us that “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’ (1 Peter 1:15-16 NIV)” and Jeremiah told us that “The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.’ (Jeremiah 31:3 NIV)” David continues by singing that God “fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.” God knows what we need before we even ask; the problem like James relates is that “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. (James 4:3 NIV)” and God always hears our cry for mercy. Jesus related that we are to “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (Matthew 7:7 NIV)” And the final truth David teaches us in his Psalm is that “The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.” Jesus taught that “This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:49-50 NIV)” Because of these eternal truths David declares, “My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name forever and ever.” So we discover through David’s Psalm why we should praise God!
EXAMPLE: On the television series Star Trek the Next Generation we were introduced to an alien race called the Borg. They were a humanoid part android beelike collective that forcefully integrated most other intelligent cultures they came into contact with: “We are Borg, resistance is futile.” Some folks think that believers are like this in that we are mindless automatons following blindly manmade mythology but nothing could further from the truth. We follow a living God who came to earth in human form, died for our sins, rose from the grave, and ascended back into heaven. Jesus proved the veracity of our faith and the changes, both physical and spiritual, testify to the fact. David through his own experiences with God gives us good reasons why we should praise God!
Conclusion:
How his people should praise God! What God should be praised for! Why we should praise God!
----
This article is copyrighted © 2020 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.
By Pastor Lee Hemen
May 3, 2020
How do you tell someone that they are doing a great job? Do slap them on the back and give them an “attaboy”? A high five or perhaps bake them cookies or a cake? We are all told to give out positive reinforcement to those we work with, our kids, and others but what about the Lord? Of course we often do not think that God needs our praise but nothing could be further from the truth because we are commanded to praise him.
Here in this Psalm of David we find him praising the Lord and telling him just how great he is. During this time when we are faced with what seem dire circumstances, it can become difficult to praise the Lord but it is specifically during such times we should do so. And this morning as we look at the words of David’s Psalm we will discover just how great is the Lord…
READ: Psalm 145
In the 1970s people were encouraged to “find yourself”. The idea was that with personal introspection you could discover who you were and thereby find inner peace. The problem was too many discovered they did not like themselves. We first discover that David shares with us…
I. How his people should praise God! (Vv. 1-7)
I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name forever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds. They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
1. We will learn that David begins and ends his poem with the idea that he would “praise [God’s] name forever and ever”. David knew who God was and the he was to “exalt” lift up his “God and King”. We see that David offers the advice that “Every day I will praise you and extol your name forever and ever.” This is what those who say they love the Lord or those who say they believe in God should do! Praise for God is not a onetime thing or done only when we feel good about ourselves or him. It’s a forever thing! David had come to realize what few of us in our day and age truly understand concerning the Lord, namely that “Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.” To the church at Ephesus the Apostle Paul wrote about God’s “glorious riches” in much the same way when he desired his fellow believers to know “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses [all] knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19 NIV)” David like Paul understood that no one could fathom God’s greatness but they could express it! Those who walk with the Lord understand this truth full well. In fact in a beautiful soliloquy David expounds that future generations “will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds. They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.” And in truth that is exactly what we are doing when we read David’s words whether we like it or not! As we read these words they can become our praise and in this David gives us a wonderful example in how his people should praise God!
EXAMPLE: “Wow, would you look at that!” exclaimed one of the people who were watching baby Mountain Goats scramble up a nearly vertical rock face. There were a lot more exclamations of wonder from folks standing there watching. They were amazed and in awe of what they were experiencing together; this how believers should respond to the Lord as well. We should be willing like David to speak to others about God’s splendor and majesty, meditate on his works, and proclaim to others about who he is and what he does in our lives. David gives us a wonderful example in how his people should praise God!
It can be tough for some to come to the realization of who they truly are. My father would tell us that “Confession is good for the soul.” My Dad hated liars and it’s why he wanted his children to be truthful especially about ourselves. Secondly, we discover that in honest clarity David shares with us…
II. What God should be praised for! (Vv. 8-16)
The LORD is gracious and compassionate; slow to anger and rich in love. The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. All you have made will praise you, O LORD; your saints will extol you. They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
1. David with all of his faults always came back to the realization that he could only be who he was because of who God was. This can be easy for some but quite hard for others to swallow because we have a tendency to blame God for our circumstance. But David understood a truth that some fail to ever realize, that “The LORD is gracious and compassionate; slow to anger and rich in love.” David intrinsically understood that he did not get what he truly deserved because of had, like all of us; he would be so much ash! This why he sang, “The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.” David continued by telling the Lord, “All you have made will praise you, O LORD; your saints will extol you. They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.” The idea here is that on that final day no matter what you believed about God you will be forced to give him praise because of who he is! It is the notion of giving an account for one’s actions. Jesus taught “that men will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned. (Matthew 12:36-37 NIV)” Then David gives us three truths: God’s kingdom is forever, he keeps his promises, and he honors those who give themselves to him in faith: “Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.” David knew that those who trust in God understand that all they have in life he has given them: “The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.” In this Psalm David teaches us what God should be praised for!
EXAMPLE: If anyone should praise God it should be Christians. We know what we were before we came to Christ and we know how he has changed us. When I was a fairly new believer most believers focused on what was to come rather than what they now enjoyed because of the Lord. God has given his people wonderful things to enjoy in the future certainly but he has also given us so much to praise him for right now. Yes, that includes what we are going through with this virus. I am glad that in this Psalm David teaches us what God should be praised for!
I am constantly teaching my grandkids that there are three “magic” phrases everyone should use: Please, thank you, and you’re welcome! This kind of what praise for God’s people is all about and lastly, David reminds us…
III. Why we should praise God! (Vv. 17-21)
The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name forever and ever.
1. It is here in this Psalm we learn four eternal truths concerning God and how he relates to mankind. These truths are just as real today as when David sang of them thousands of years ago. David succinctly relates the first truth in that “The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made.” God is always holy and he always loves his handiwork, including us. The Scripture reaffirms this over and over for us. David could do so because he had experienced God. Peter reminds us that “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’ (1 Peter 1:15-16 NIV)” and Jeremiah told us that “The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.’ (Jeremiah 31:3 NIV)” David continues by singing that God “fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.” God knows what we need before we even ask; the problem like James relates is that “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. (James 4:3 NIV)” and God always hears our cry for mercy. Jesus related that we are to “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (Matthew 7:7 NIV)” And the final truth David teaches us in his Psalm is that “The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.” Jesus taught that “This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:49-50 NIV)” Because of these eternal truths David declares, “My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name forever and ever.” So we discover through David’s Psalm why we should praise God!
EXAMPLE: On the television series Star Trek the Next Generation we were introduced to an alien race called the Borg. They were a humanoid part android beelike collective that forcefully integrated most other intelligent cultures they came into contact with: “We are Borg, resistance is futile.” Some folks think that believers are like this in that we are mindless automatons following blindly manmade mythology but nothing could further from the truth. We follow a living God who came to earth in human form, died for our sins, rose from the grave, and ascended back into heaven. Jesus proved the veracity of our faith and the changes, both physical and spiritual, testify to the fact. David through his own experiences with God gives us good reasons why we should praise God!
Conclusion:
How his people should praise God! What God should be praised for! Why we should praise God!
----
This article is copyrighted © 2020 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.
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