Praise The Lord Everyone, Everywhere

SERMON OUTLINE:

Who Should Worship the Lord (vs 1).

How They Should Worship the Lord (vs 2-3).

Why They Should Worship the Lord (vs 4-19).

What Should Happen Because They Worship the Lord (vs 20-22).

SERMON BODY:

Ill:

• John Wesley was a seventeenth century Anglican cleric and Christian theologian.

• Along with his brother Charles Wesley,

• He is credited as founding the Methodist movement.

• When John Wesley was about 21 years of age when he went to Oxford University.

• And in many ways he had it all - he was gifted with a keen mind and good looks.

• But he lacked humility and compassion;

• He was in his early days a bit snobbish and sarcastic.

• One night, however,

• Something happened that set in motion a change in Wesley's heart.

• While speaking with a porter at Oxford University,

• He discovered that the poor man had only one coat;

• And that he lived in very sparse and impoverished conditions - he didn't even have a bed.

• Yet to Wesley’s amazement he was an unusually happy person,

• And he was filled with gratitude to God.

• Being immature, Wesley thoughtlessly joked about the man's hardships.

• And sarcastically said to him: "What else do you thank God for?"

• The porter smiled and replied;

• "I thank Him that He has given me my life and being, a heart to love Him,

• And above all a constant desire to serve Him!"

• This deeply moved Wesley and impacted him;

• Because he recognized that this man knew the meaning of true thankfulness.

• So much more than himself.

• Many years later, in 1791, John Wesley lay on his deathbed at the age of 88.

• Those who gathered around him recognised a quality within him;

• He had learned the lesson of praising God in every circumstance.

• Despite Wesley's extreme weakness, he began singing the hymn,

• "I'll Praise My Maker While I've Breath."

Now Psalm 33 is a call to praise:

• And do not wait until you are on your death bed to praise your maker;

• This Psalm reminds us that in every circumstance of life give praise to your God!

Notice: two things by way of introduction:

(a).

• Now the verbs in this psalm are plural,

• Which means it was sang together with other people as they met together worship God.

• We can of course worship God individually;

• But God delights in collective praise & worship as well as individual!

• i.e. Hebrew people in the Old Testament.

• i.e. The Church in the New Testament.

• i.e. Heaven itself – Revelation chapter 9 verse 7:

(b).

• Psalm 33 is one of only four Psalms that lacks a title.

• (The others are Psalm 1, 2, and 10).

• All the other Psalms have some sort of title or description;

• Many commentators believe that this Psalm is the second part of Psalm 32.

• i.e. Psalm 32 closes with a command of the ‘righteous’ to ‘rejoice’,

• And Psalm 33 verse 1 opens with the same command.

• i.e. In the Septuagint - These two Psalms are one.

• (The Septuagint; is a translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek at the time of Christ.

• The Septuagint is quoted by the New Testament particularly by the apostle Paul).

• Now while Psalm 32 & 33 are very different in their content,

• They are both centred on the theme of praise.

• In Psalm 32 God is to be praised because He forgives sin.

• In Psalm 33 God is to be praised because He is in control.

As we look in more detail I want to divide the Psalm up under 4 headings:

(1). Who Should Worship the Lord (vs 1).

“Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;

it is fitting for the upright to praise him”

• A 'righteous' person – such as is mentioned here in verse 1;

• Does not mean someone who is perfect – who has lived a faultless or impeccable life.

• If it did then no-one would ever praise God;

• Because we know from experience and from this book the Bible;

• That we are all flawed i.e. “For all have sinned…” (Romans chapter 3 verse 2).

Question: What does that term ‘righteous’ mean:

Answer:

• That these people referred to as ‘righteous’;

• Have a desire and a determination to please God by living ‘right’.

• If you want to know what ‘righteous’ means then cut it in half – to live ‘right’,

• They not only KNOW what is right but they also try DO what is right.

Ill:

• Army of Alexander the Great was undefeated in battle;