Great Reasons To Praise The Lord

Great Reasons to Praise the Lord

Isaiah 12:1-6

Sermon by Rick Crandall

Grayson Baptist Church - March 10, 2013

(Revised from sermon preached at McClendon Baptist Church Jan. 22, 2006)

BACKGROUND:

*This morning please open your Bibles to Isaiah 12, thinking about great reasons to praise the Lord. This chapter of praise mainly applies to the coming Kingdom, when Jesus returns to rule on the earth for a thousand years. But this Scripture also surely applies to us today.

*Matthew Henry explained: “The song of praise in this chapter is suitable for the return of the outcasts of Israel from their long captivity. But it is especially suitable to a sinner, when he first finds peace and joy in believing, to a believer, when his peace is renewed after corrections for backslidings, and to the whole company of the redeemed, when they meet before the throne of God in heaven.” (1)

*With that background in mind, let’s read Isaiah 12:1-6.

1. And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.

2. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

3. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

4. And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.

5. Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.

6. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

INTRODUCTION:

*MacNeil Jordan was born in Barbados on Christmas Day in 1902. On his 100th birthday, he could still recite pages of scripture and poetry. He could tell you the name of the ship that brought him to Ellis Island, the street where he got his first job as a garment worker, and the name of the cafeteria where he ate 70 years ago.

*A month before MacNeil’s 100th birthday, his family made a CD on everything he wanted to say. His 8 children, 23 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-children all got copies. Here is MacNeil’s recipe for long life: “I eat well. I sleep well. I walk quite a bit.” -- And every week there’s church, where “I praise my God.” MacNeil said that’s what is most important: “Give God praise every day. That’s all. That’s my life.” (2)

*That’s great advice Church. And we know that praising the Lord is important to God, because He talks about it in His Word at least 225 times!

*King David was a champion for praise to the Lord.

-In Psalm 7:17, David said: “I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness, And will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.”

-In Psalm 9:1-2

1. I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works.

2. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

-In Psalm 21:13, “Be exalted, O Lord, in Your own strength! We will sing and praise Your power.”

-In Psalm 28:7, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him.”

-In Psalm 40:3, “He has put a new song in my mouth Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the Lord.”

*Psalm 106:1 says: “Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”

*And Psalm 107 cries out 4 times: “Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!”

*There’s no doubt about it: We really should praise the Lord! -- Isaiah shows us why.

1. First of all Church: Praise the Lord, because He is our salvation.

*Isaiah mentions our salvation three times in vs. 1-3:

1. And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.

2. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

3. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

*We can see an extremely important part of our salvation here in vs. 1: “O Lord, I will praise You; though You were angry with me, Your anger is turned away...” He is talking about God’s righteous anger against our sin. And if you are saved, God’s anger is turned away from you.