I Feel Like Praising God Series: Part 2 This Is Why I Feel Like Praising God.

I Feel Like Praising God Part 2

This Is Why I Feel Like Praising God.

We’re staying in Zephaniah chapter 3, but this time we are going to read verse 18–20.

THE TEXT (Zephaniah 3:18–20)

I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly. Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee. I will save her that halteth.

I will get them praise and fame in every land. At that time will I bring you again.

For I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth.

My brothers and sisters if you remember that this prophecy came from Zephaniah during a time of corruption and a coming judgment.

Part 1 was about God in the midst.

Part 2 is about God restoring what was lost.

We’re staying in Zephaniah 3:18–20 and we are reminded that:

Judah and the name Judah means praise, but Judah had:

Lost spiritual purity.

Judah had lost national stability.

And also Judah they lost their honor among nations.

They were embarrassed.

Oppressed and spiritually bruised.

But now God speaks restoration in detail. And that’s a Word for somebody this morning. Restoration is on the way.

In verses 14–17 it showed us God singing over them.

But then verses 18–20 it shows us God rebuilding them.

And This is why I feel like praising God.

The bible says, I will gather them that are sorrowful.

The Hebrew here implies those people who are grieved, those that are sad, and upset, because they could not properly worship.

These were the faithful remnant who mourned the spiritual decline of the nation.

God says: I see your sorrow.

And that’s another word for someone here in the room this morning.

You may be sad, you may be upset, you may even be going through, but I must tell you that God sees your sorrow.

Notice something here. He gathers the broken worshippers. That kind of fits us this morning, because some of us were broken. God gathers the broken worshippers.

This fits the theme because:

Sometimes you feel like praising God, not because you were always strong, but because God didn’t overlook your tears.

Instead he gathered your tears. He wrapped his arms around you.

He held you in comforting times.

When your heart was shattered.

When your feelings were hurt.

And when your trust had been broken.

He gathers the sorrowful.

He restores the ashamed.

He brings back those who felt displaced. Out of place, and misplaced.

That alone will make you praise Him.

The Lord says, I will undo all that afflict thee.

This is courtroom language.

God declares He will reverse what the enemy did.

Not just to comfort you, but to undo the oppression, the suicidal thoughts.

What this. The word (undo)carries the idea of dealing decisively with your adversaries.

This means that:

Every attack has an expiration date.

Every oppressor has a limit.

Every affliction is temporary.

When you realize that God is not just watching, but He’s also intervening for you, it will make you praise the Lord. Is there anybody who feels like praising Him?

He goes on to say. I will save her that halteth.

The word Halteth means those that are lame or weak.

Watch this: God is not just restoring the strong.

He saves the one who limps.

That means:

The one who almost gave up.

The one that almost gave in.

The one who has some struggled.

The one who feels spiritually handicapped.

This fits the theme because:

You feel like praising God when you realize that He didn’t just save the best version of you, but He saved you in your weakness.

I have been trying to get here for two weeks. (The last clause of verse 19) he says, I will get them praise and fame in every land.

Now this is powerful.

The same people who were shamed among nations

will become a testimony among nations.

Those who were once mocked before the world, will rise as proof of God’s restoring power before the world.

The same ones who carried public disgrace, will now carry public evidence of divine redemption.

What made them look bad by words among nations, will become a banners of God’s faithfulness among nations.

Those who were reduced to whispers of shame, will stand as living witnesses of glory in the sight of many lands.

For those of you that has been wounded, hurt abused, mistreated, misunderstood, God is turning that thing around. Look they talked about us, people put us down, somebody scream B. U. T. GOD

Let me give you some spiritual acronyms for the word but.

1. B.U.T. Believe Under Trial

When life shifts unexpectedly, don’t break—Believe Under Trial.

2. B.U.T. Blessed Under Testing

3. B.U.T. Built Up Through