How Great Thou Art!

How Great Thou Art!

Psalm 117

Introduction:

1. This tiny psalm is great in faith and its reach is enormous.

2. It awakens us to sing praise to God for the character of God’s person who created and liberated us.

3. It alerts a world that is lost to focus and reflect on the marvelous wonder at the gift of life.

4. The psalm assures us the hope of forever.

5. The shortest psalm proves to be the most potent to bring us to realize HOW GREAT THOU ART!

PRAISING HIM AWAKENS US

A. The act of praise proclaims that God accepts us.

B. The biggest part of the Bible is about God accepting a people, the Jews.

C. The end results would be God accepting all people.

Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."

Genesis 12:2 "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing."

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

Romans 15:7-13 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs (9) so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: "Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to your name." (10) Again, it says, "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people." (11) And again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and sing praises to him, all you peoples." (12) And again, Isaiah says, "The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in him." (13) May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

PRAISING HIM ALERTS THE WORLD

A. The act of praise sends an evangelical challenge to the world.

B. We claim this God, and no other.

C. We invite others to claim Him because of His great love and faithfulness.

Daniel 3:18, 28 (18)"But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." (28)Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God."

Acts 16:25, 30 (25)About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. (30)He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

Lamentations 3:22-24 (22)Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. (23) They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (24) I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."

PRAISING HIM ASSURES US

A. The act of praise expresses our confidence in the future.

B. We have hope not in the "what" "where" "when" but the "WHO."

John 14:1-3 (1) "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God ; trust also in me. (2) In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.

(3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."

Matthew 28:20b "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Conclusion:

1. This small hymn should do great things in our lives.

2. One, it should awake us to how great God really is. Second, we should be a people who proclaim Him. Third, our hope should be secured in a God who lives forever.

3. Will you bow down and worship Him?