PRAISE GOD
Psalm 103:1-22
[1] Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! [2] Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: [3] who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, [4] Who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, [5] who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. [6] The LORD executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. [7] He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. [8] The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. [9] He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. [10] He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. [11] For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; [12] as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. [13] As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear Him. [14] For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. [15] As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. [16] For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. [17] But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, [18] to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them. [19] The LORD has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all. [20] Bless the LORD, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word. [21] Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, you ministers of His, who do His pleasure. [22] Bless the LORD, all His works, in all places of His dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul! [NKJV]
OPENING REMARKS
1. Why have you gathered here today? –
.. There can be many reasons –
. Family
. Friends
. Fellowship
. Etc.
.. Ultimately: Whatever the Reason –
. It is to worship the Lord and bring Praise to His name through all that we do and nothing else.
Psalm 34:1
I will bless the Lord at all time; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
.. Thus –
Service today the :
. Music should be to His praise! – A time to turn our minds attention towards God.
. Fellowship should be to His praise! – A time to show our love toward each other.
. Singing should be to His praise! – A time to express openly and loudly our worship to God.
Doxology:
(Praise God, From Whom all Blessings Flow)
[Thomas Ken | 1637-1711, England]
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
. Scripture reading should be to His praise! – A time to reflect in the light of His Word.
. Prayers should be to His praise! – A time to draw near and bow at His throne.
. Sermon time should be to His praise! – A time to listen and learn of His will.
. Closing should be to His praise! – A time to decide how to best follow His leadership.
Psalm 122:1
I was glad when they said to me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.
NOTE: Are you glad today to be here in the house of the Lord?
2. Praise Defined –
Dr. Dale Robbins
Praise means to commend, to applaud, and to magnify.
For the Christian [–]
Praise to God is an expression of worship, lifting-up, and glorifying the Lord.
It is an expression of humbling ourselves and centering our attention upon the Lord with heart-felt expressions of love, adoration, and thanksgiving.
High praise brings our spirit into a pinnacle of fellowship and intimacy between ourselves and God – it magnifies our awareness of our spiritual union with the highest God. Praise transports us into the supernatural and into the power of God.
----- [The Power of Praise & Worship, www.victorious.org/praise.htm, downloaded 09, February, 2008. (adapted)] -----
Psalm 89:15
Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.
NOTE: May you understand that God is to be the object of our praise.
3. Why Praise God?
.. The reasons are countless. | To whom do we compare Him?
Romans 11:33-36
Oh, the depths of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgment and His ways past finding out! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor? Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him? For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.
Though there are several reasons as to why the Lord is to be praised.
Here in Psalm 103:1 we are told to bless (praise) the Lord particularly because He is:
A. Worthy
B. Merciful
C. Long-Suffering
D. Sovereign
TEXT
I. God is Worthy –
1-2
[1] Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name!
[2] Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:
A. BLESS [PRAISE] THE LORD
1. God is great -
.. Who is like our God?
. He is the Creator – Genesis 1:1 | In the beginning God created
. He is the sustainer of life – Psalm 55:22 | Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you
Psalm 96:4
For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised …
.. Praise Him with all of your being – heart, mind, and soul: Deut. 6:4-5 and Matt. 22:36-38
B. GOD [NAME] IS HOLY
Psalm 22:3
… You are holy, Who inhabit the praises of Israel.
Revelation 4:8 & Isaiah 6:1-3
And the four living creatures … do not rest day or night, saying: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!
C. FORGET NOT HIS BLESSINGS
.. He is our Redeemer – Psalm 72:23 | My lips shall greatly rejoice … and my soul, which you have redeemed.
. What is of more value than your soul? – Mark 8:36 | There is no profit in gaining the world and losing one’s soul.
II. God is Merciful –
3-6
3 Forgive iniquities – perversity, not just mistakes
Heals diseases – not just the body but of the soul
4 Redeems life – as one redeems from the pawn shop of prize possessions given up
Crowns with lovingkindness and tender mercies – placed in a position of being loved
5 Satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. - satisfies
6 The Lord executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. – God not man
III. God is Long-Suffering –
7-18
7 Makes known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel. – God does not hide Himself
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
9 He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever.
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear Him.
14 For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.
15 As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.
17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children,
18 to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them.
IV. God is Sovereign –
19-22
19 The LORD has established His throne in heaven
His kingdom rules over all.
Daniel 4:35
All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, What have you done. | cf. Job Ch. 38 to 41 – where were you … tell me … if you have understanding.
20 Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, … do His word, heeding the voice of His word.
21 Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, you ministers of His, who do His pleasure.
22 Bless the LORD, all His works, in all places of His dominion.
Bless the LORD, O my soul!
CONCLUSION
The Psalmist ends as he began. | Bless [Praise] the Lord, O my soul!
This should be the same for us everyday of our lives on this earth – for it will be such in eternity!
INVITATION
1. Those who do not know Christ as their Savior
If you are not a Christian,
At first it may seem that the Psalmist, David, is speaking here of blessings from God that are enjoyed by everyone, since he is calling on all of creation (v. 22) to praise God. But this is not so. Actually, the blessings that he is speaking of are for those who fear the Lord (v. 17). Those who have experience the forgiveness of sins.
If you do not know that – let me suggest that the only place where you will ever discover it to be true is at the cross of Jesus Christ. May God grant you repentance of your sins and give you faith to trust the finished work of His Son, Jesus Christ. Then and only then will you truly know the eternal blessings of God.
2. To the Believer/Church
For the Christian, may the result of this study be that you become more aware of your blessings and begin to praise God for them.
3. Come Worship the Lord
.. Our Invitation is open to all –
. Come to Christ
. Come if you need to pray
. Come be a part of us
. Come share with us what the Lord would have you to do
Bruce Allen
Underwood Baptist Church
February 10, 2008
bea0210@hotmail.com
http://ebenezer.reformedblogs.com
