Praise The Lord O My Soul

Praising the Lord O my Soul

Psalms 145

Online Sermon: http://www.mckeesfamily.com/?page_id=3567

“Oh, to swim in a sea of gratitude, to feel waves of praise breaking over one’s joyful head, and then to dive into the ocean of adoration, and lose one’s self in the ever-blessed God!”

Charles Spurgeon

Psalms 145 is an acrostic poem of king David, a crown jewel of praise of God. Many Christians are so concentrated in the “immediacy of the present” that with pleasure of self, wrapped around their necks they are drowning in a sea of indifference! In celebrating and wrongly assigning accomplishments to humanity we are living in a generation that has promoted self-adoration, which is idolatry. Enslaved to our schedules it is natural for “sinners to pray in the storm, and curse God again in the calm.” Though the world sails on the shifting sands of culture God’s own need to be faithful and learn how to throw off the shackles of popular opinion to remember and embrace the truth concerning God. While God’s mighty acts of judgement may not “suit our or the unredeemed inner consciousnesses” that personifies personal accountability with evil injustice, no matter how atheistic this world becomes that in no way changes the truth that God has absolute dominion over this world and is the righteous judge of all things seen and unseen (Colossians 1:16). We as Christians have an obligation with “bated breath” to remember the Flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, The Ten Plagues of Egypt, and the End Times so that we might warn those who have chosen the broad path that yes, their indifference and often outright defiance against their Creator invites His terrible wrath upon their lives. But this is not all they and we need to hear for “the sword of justice is not snapped across the knee of mercy, but it is sheathed in the scabbard of the atonement!” Praise be to God it is precisely in “our moments of brokenness and waywardness, apathy and disillusionment, when we are not sure who we are, the compassionate God who is fiercely loyal steps toward us in love.” In response may in our “weakness and powerlessness, fear and dread,” take the time to bow our knees, raise our hands, surrender our souls to His will by magnifying His majestic name in our words, thoughts and deeds! The following sermon is going to show how Psalms 145 can be used as a model to address God rightly by praising Him for His greatness, praising Him for His goodness, praising Him for His kingdom, praising Him for His faithfulness, praising Him for His saving mercy and praising Him by proclaiming His name to future generations.

Praise God for His Greatness

The might of God’s terrible acts has made nations tremble, the earth shake, floods destroy, fire consume, plagues annihilate societies and even mountains melt like wax (Psalms 97:5, 99:1). “Such language is not meant to be hyperbolic or escapist but instead truly confessional. Those who have been given over to the reprobate minds (Romans 1:28) ought to repent of their blasphemous hearts and quiver in fear for His past acts of judgement are proof the arrows of His justice never miss the mark! God in His infinite sovereignty is to be revered for “nothing unjust or unduly severe has ever come from the divine hand” for in His infinite sovereignty and justice He gives each person what they truly deserve. Despite our “maunderings of our poor fallible judgements,” as to what is the “right way” to live our lives, God graciously gave His One and only Son so that humanity’s guilt and subsequent penalty might be imputed by all who believe in His atoning sacrifice (John 3:16). “Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” So, while our “best adoration of the Unsearchable” can never truly honor His name, may we never stop inviting the Great Physician to cut out the cancer of sin in our lives. May the midst of our souls bubble up springs of living waters and constantly flood us with memories of His goodness. May our praise start with creation for surely we can see God’s mighty fingerprint upon the heavens, the surging seas, the glory of the mountains, and the birth of a new born baby! And yet despite these glorious works may we never forget how great our God is to remold the sinful dust of the earth back into His image! Even though He sometimes sleighs in the thunderstorm of His justice, may we “share in the extension of God’s kingdom by private meditation, discussion, and public testimony” that our God is merciful, loving and kind for He only does good to those who love Him (Romans 8:28). As the Lord enlarges our hearts and our minds with knowledge of His greatness may we share this divine truth with our children and the world the profound message that He who saved a wretch like me offers to save all who believe in the atoning sacrifice of His Son!