Praise Series

Praise

Jeffery Anselmi / General Adult

Praise The Lord / Praise / Psalm 150

We are to turn every part of our lives to the praise of God.

OPENING SIDE

INTRODUCTION

• Imagine a world where every breath, every heartbeat, every moment is an opportunity to celebrate and honor the One who created us.

• Praise is not just a few words spoken in church on Sunday—it is a vibrant, life-transforming response to the greatness of God.

• This last psalm is God's way of reminding us that praise is not a choice; it is necessary.

• It isn’t just an activity; it’s a lifestyle.

• It’s not just something we do on Sunday; it’s something we carry into Monday, Tuesday, Friday, and every valley and peak in between.

• Psalm 150, the grand finale of the Psalms, invites us into a powerful rhythm of praise that transcends time and culture.

• Psalm 150 closes the entire book of Psalms with one resounding, unstoppable, uncompromising theme: Praise.

• It calls us to lift our voices and hearts with passion, recognizing that God is worthy above all else, deserving praise in every circumstance, through every form of expression, and by every person on earth.

• If the Psalms were a symphony, Psalm 150 would be the final movement, where every instrument goes full volume, the choir stands to their feet, and the conductor says, “Everything you’ve got — give it now!”

• Today, as we dive into this Psalm, we’ll discover four profound truths about praise—why God alone is worthy, why all His works inspire our celebration, how we can praise Him with everything we have, and why everyone is called to this joyful act.

• Praise is not just a command; it’s an invitation to live in awe and gratitude every day.

• Let’s open our hearts to join the timeless chorus of praise found in Psalm 150.

• We will begin with verse 1.

Psalm 150:1 NET 2nd ed.

1 Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in the sky, which testifies to his strength!

POINT 1 SLIDE

SERMON

I. God is to be Praised Above All Things

• Psalm 150 begins with the words, 'Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in the sky, which testifies to his strength!'

• Our passage begins by telling us where praise happens — in the sanctuary and in the sky.

• Why start there?

• Because praise is rooted in who God is, not in where we are.

• This is a call to praise God in both the earthly sanctuary and the heavenly expanse.

• It reminds us that God is exalted above all creation.

• He is not limited by space or time.

• His presence fills the heavens and the earth.

• When we praise God in the sanctuary, we are joining together as the people of God.

• When verse 1 speaks of praising Him in His sanctuary, this is a reference to His holiness.

• The phrase translated “Praise God in his sanctuary” is valid.

• However, we can also translate the phrase as, "Praise God for His holiness."

• This better suits the context.

• The Hebrew word NET2 translates as "sanctuary." This is a word that denotes a consecrated place where a deity dwells, where sacred objects are kept, and where worship takes place.

• The word speaks of holiness.

• The phrase in verse 1, “praise Him in the sky refers to praising Him in the mighty expanse”.

• The idea is that we are to worship Him in the expanse of His power!

• God is to be continually praised above all things, for He is holy, and His glory is demonstrated by the mighty expanse!

Psalm 19:1 NET 2nd ed.

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky displays his handiwork.

• We praise Him in relation to His sanctuary (holiness) and His mighty heavens (sky, or the expanse of His might), His acts of power, and His surpassing greatness.

• When we praise God in the heavens, we are joining the angels, the saints, and the unseen hosts of God.

• We are to praise God above all things!

• Praise lifts your eyes.

• Praise lifts your heart.

• Praise lifts your faith.

• Listen, sometimes life pulls us down — problems, pressures, disappointments, fears.

• Praise given to our awesome God is pleasing to God, but praise does something for us also; it lifts us back up by reminding us that God is above all things, so my praise belongs above all things.

• When we praise God, we are declaring to the world as well as our hearts that:

God is bigger than my burden.

God is stronger than my struggle.