The Goodness, Greatness, and Grace of God
Psalm 145:1-21
Psalm 145 is a psalm of David in celebration of all that God has done for those who have gone through trials and testing. This is the last of seven alphabetical Psalms. The first verse commences with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the second verse with the second letter, and so on to the close. In this Psalm, David commends God’s goodness, greatness, and grace.
I. The Goodness of God
A. *Psalm 145:9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works
B. Psalm 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusts in him.
C. Psalm 107:8-9, "Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness."
D. God is the source of everything that is good
E. James 1:17 Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow Psalms 31:19, "Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!"
F. There are those who like Asaph when affirming God’s goodness to Israel in Psalm 73:1 equate goodness with material things or with the absence of pain, difficulty, trouble, sorrow, ill health, or poverty.
G. They interpret Jeremiah 29:11 with a bent toward teaching that God’s goodness is expressed in “prosperity and material riches”.
• For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jer. 29:11NIV)
• One translation reads “plans for you to succeed”
H. If things do not go the way we plan, if there are bumps in the road, if there are falls and failures does that mean God is not good? When adversity strikes has God’s goodness failed?
I. Corrie Ten Boom said, “Often I have heard people say, ‘How good God is! We prayed that it would not rain for our church picnic, and look at the lovely weather!’ Yes, God is good when He sends good weather. But God was also good when He allowed my sister, Betsie, to starve to death before my eyes in a German concentration camp. I remember one occasion when I was very discouraged there. Everything around us was dark, and there was darkness in my heart. I remember telling Betsie that I thought God had forgotten us. "No, Corrie," said Betsie, "He has not forgotten us. Remember His Word: 'For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him.'" Corrie concluded, "There is an ocean of God's love available--there is plenty for everyone. May God grant you never to doubt that victorious love--whatever the circumstances." -.
J. It is by the goodness of God that God will allow something positive to come out of a negative situation.
K. At the end of Psalm 73 Asaph understands the “goodness” of God in a different way. not physical prosperity but nearness to God.
L. Psalm 73:28 “But as for me, God’s presence (or the nearness of God) is my good. I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Thy works.”
M. Nearness to God—intimate fellowship with God—is our highest good. We may say then that whatever interferes with our nearness to God, our fellowship with Him, is actually evil. And whatever draws us into a deeper fellowship with God is actually “good.” When God brings suffering and adversity into our lives, our confidence in His goodness should not be undermined. Instead, we should be reassured of His goodness to us. –copied
N. Romans 2:4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
O. One of God's faithful missionaries, Allen Gardiner, experienced many physical difficulties and hardships throughout his service to the Savior. Despite his troubles, he said, "While God gives me strength, failure will not daunt me." In 1851, at the age of 57, he died of disease and starvation while serving on Picton Island at the southern tip of South America. When his body was found, his diary lay nearby. It bore the record of hunger, thirst, wounds, and loneliness. The last entry in his little book showed the struggle of his shaking hand as he tried to write legibly. It read, "I am overwhelmed with a sense of the goodness of God." - Allen Gardiner.
II. The Greatness of God
A. *Psalms 145:3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; And His greatness is unsearchable
B. Psalms 48:1 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised In the city of our God, In His holy mountain.
C. Let me ask you, “How Big is your God?” Is He big enough to handle all the things that come into our lives and mess us up? Is He big enough to pick up the pieces of a shattered family or life? Just how big is your God?
D. Psalms 147:5 Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.
• His great power is boundless
- Ephesians 3:20 He “…is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think…”
- A man was taking a tour of the Holy Land in Israel and inadvertently fell into the Dead Sea. He began kicking and yelling, trying to keep himself above water, but the more he kicked, the deeper he sank. The tour guide yelled over to him, “Stop fighting and relax......the water is full of salt and you will sink if you keep moving. Trust me!” When the man relaxed and stopped kicking, he began to float up to the top due to the influence of the high salt content on the water. The same is true of our rough times, when we fight against them we sink, when we relax in faith, the influence of God’s presence lifts us up. When the world seems out of control and times get rough, where can we find shelter, peace and refuge? “Times of Refreshing” are found in the presence of the Lord. – Family Times
• His great wisdom is infinite
- Without a telescope you can only see about 3,000 stars from any point on Earth. Scientists estimate the universe contains at least 70 sextillion stars (70-thousand-million-million-million). That's 7 followed by 22 zeroes, or ten-times the number of grains of sand on earth. Psalm 147:4 tells us God "counts the numbers of the stars; He gives names to all of them."
- Not only that, but God counts the numbers of every hair on every person in the world. Jesus said, "Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered" (Luke 12:7). If God knows that much, He certainly knows what you are going through right now. --Kent Crockett
• His great love is unending
- Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with loving-kindness I have drawn you.
- God's love for man is a love that knows no boundaries. He loves us constantly and completely. It is a love that can never be broken by us or by Himself. His love is boundless and eternal. Never forget the awesome truth that God loves you! When others turn their backs on you and when their love grows cold and empty, God will still be there to love you and He will never stop or change in His love for you! - copied
• His great faithfulness is unshakable
- Lamentations 3:23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness
- A woman, after suffering many losses, went to a great doctor for sympathy. After being in his study for some time, she suddenly exclaimed, "I've got it! I've got it!" The surprised doctor immediately asked what she had got. Instead of answering directly she pointed to a text over the mantelpiece, on which were the words "THOU REMAINEST," and said, "I see now that no matter how much I lose, God remains, and He is all I need."—Gospel Gleaners
E. Deuteronomy 32:3 “For I proclaim the name of the LORD: Ascribe greatness to our God.”
III. The Grace of God
A. Psalm 145:17 “The LORD is righteous in all His ways, Gracious in all His works.”
B. An atheist said, "If there is a God, may he prove himself by striking me dead right now." Nothing happened. "You see, there is not God." Another responded, "You've only proved that He is a gracious God."
C. His Grace redeems us.
• Ephesians 2:4-9 “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
D. His grace sees us through.
• 2 Corinthians 12:9 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
E. The graciousness of God is amazing! That’s what so excited Paul – that’s what kept him going despite all the hardships he had to endure. It ought to so motivate us. Prison was nothing in comparison to the hope of heaven – in comparison to being chosen by God – in comparison to being a member of God’s family through adoption – in comparison to unmerited forgiveness. - copied
F. Booth-Tucker preached in Chicago one day, and out from the throng a burdened toiler came and said to him, before all the audience, "You can talk like that about how Christ is dear to you, and helps you; but if your wife was dead, as my wife is, and you had some babies crying for their mother who would never come back, you could not say what you are saying." A little later Booth-Tucker lost his noble wife in a railway wreck, and the body was brought to Chicago and carried to the Salvation Army barracks for the funeral service. After others had conducted the funeral service he stood there by the casket, looked down into the face of the silent wife and mother, and said, "The other day when I was here, a man said, I could not say Christ was sufficient, if my wife were dead, and my children were crying for their mother. If that man is here, tell him that Christ is sufficient. My heart is all broken, my heart is all crushed, my heart is all bleeding, but there is a song in my heart and Christ put it there; and if that man is here, I tell him that, though my wife is gone and my children are motherless, Christ comforts me today." That man was there, and down the aisle he came, and fell down beside the casket, and said, "Verily, if Christ can help us like that, I will surrender to Him,"
"He giveth more grace when burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;
To added affliction, He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.
When we have exhausted our store of endurance;
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done;
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources;
Our Father's full giving is only begun.
His love has no limit, His grace knows no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus He giveth and giveth and giveth again.” - Copied
