I Feel Like Praising God Part 2
This Is Why I Feel Like Praising God.
We’re staying in Zephaniah 3:18–20.
THE TEXT (Zephaniah 3:18–20)
I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly. Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee. I will save her that halteth.
I will get them praise and fame in every land. At that time will I bring you again.
For I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth.
Remember this prophecy came from Zephaniah during a time of corruption and coming judgment.
Part 1 was about God in the midst.
Part 2 is about God restoring what was lost.
We’re staying in Zephaniah 3:18–20.
Judah had:
Lost spiritual purity.
They lost national stability.
And they lost honor among nations.
They were embarrassed.
Oppressed and spiritually bruised.
But now God speaks restoration in detail.
In verses 14–17 it showed us God singing over them.
But then verses 18–20 shows us God rebuilding them. And This is why I feel like praising God.
The bible says, I will gather them that are sorrowful.
The Hebrew implies people who grieved, those that are sad, and upset, because they could not properly worship.
These were the faithful remnant who mourned the spiritual decline of the nation.
God says: I see your sorrow.
And that’s a word for someone here in the room this morning.
You may be sad, you may be upset, you may even be going through, but I must tell you that God sees your sorrow.
Notice something here He gathers the broken worshippers.
This fits the theme because:
Sometimes you feel like praising God, not because you were always strong, but because God didn’t overlook your tears.
Instead he gathered your tears. He wrapped his arms around you.
He held you in comforting times.
When your heart was shattered.
When your feelings were hurt.
And when your trust had been broken.
He gathers the sorrowful.
He restores the ashamed.
He brings back those who felt displaced. Ou if place, and misplaced.
That alone will make you praise Him.
The Lord says, I will undo all that afflict thee.
This is courtroom language.
God declares He will reverse what the enemy did.
Not just to comfort you, but to undo the oppression, the suicidal thoughts.
The word undo carries the idea of dealing decisively with your adversaries.
This means:
Every attack has an expiration date.
Every oppressor has a limit.
Every affliction is temporary.
When you realize God is not just watching, but He’s also intervening for you, is there anybody who feels like praising Him.
He goes on yo say. I will save her that halteth.
The word Halteth means lame or weak.
God is not just restoring the strong.
He saves the one who limps.
The one who almost gave up.
The one who struggled.
The one who felt spiritually handicapped.
This fits the theme because:
You feel like praising God when you realize that He didn’t just save the best version of you, but He saved you in your weakness.
I have been trying to get here for two weeks. (The last clause of verse 19) he says, I will get them praise and fame in every land.
Now this is powerful.
The same people who were shamed among nations
will become a testimony among nations.
Those once mocked before the world will rise as proof of God’s restoring power before the world.
The same ones who carried public disgrace will now carry public evidence of divine redemption.
What made them look bad by words among nations will become a banners of God’s faithfulness among nations.
Those who were reduced to whispers of shame, will stand as living witnesses of glory in the sight of many lands.
God doesn’t just restore privately, but He restores publicly.
He says:
I will make your story a praise.
This is why I feel like praising God:
Because what tried to disgrace me.
Became the platform of my testimony.
At that time will I bring you again.
That phrase nerds to be repeated.
At that time.
This is prophetic timing.
God’s restoration is scheduled.
Delayed is not denied.
Exile would not be permanent.
Oppression would not define them.
Their location would not be their destiny.
God says: I will bring you back.
When you know God can bring you back, back to peace, back to joy, back to influence, and back to stability
You will feel like praising Him.
For I will make you a name and a praise.
Catch this carefully:
In verses 14–17, the people praised God.
In verses 18–20, God makes the people a praise.
That means your life becomes worship.
Your testimony becomes a sermon.
Your survival becomes a song.
God turns your existence into evidence.
This is not hype.
This is covenant restoration.
He:
• Gathers the sorrowful
• Undoes the affliction
• Saves the weak
• Restores reputation
• He brings you back
• And he makes your life a praise.
This isn’t emotional praise.
This is informed praise.
When you understand what God is doing behind the scenes, praise rises naturally.
Some of you are in verse 18 — grieving.
Some of you are in verse 19 fighting affliction.
But the there are some of you like are waiting for verse 20 restoration.
May I tell you that the same God who promised it
is the God who will perform it.
And when you see Him turning things around
You don’t need music.
You don’t need prompting.
You just say:
This is why I feel like praising God.
When He gathers the broken. I feel like praising God.
When He reverses the attack. I feel like praising God.
When He saves the weak. I feel like praising God.
When He restores my name. I FEEL LIKE PRAISING GOD.
There was once a world-class violinist preparing for a major concert. The auditorium was full. Lights were bright. Anticipation was high.
He lifted his prized violin — an instrument worth thousands — and began to play. The sound was flawless. Every note floated like silk.
Then suddenly — a string snapped.
The sound cracked through the room.
Silence, filled the audience.
You could feel the embarrassment. You could feel the tension. Some thought the concert was over.
The musician paused. Looked at the broken string then he closed his eyes.
Instead of walking off stage He adjusted his grip, and began to play again.
With one less string.
The melody was different, but it was deeper.
The room went silent. Not because of disappointment but because of amazement.
When he finished, the entire auditorium stood in applause.
Afterward someone asked him,
How did you play so beautifully with a broken string?
He replied, sometimes you have to learn how to make music with what you have left.”
Now Preach It, Pastor
That’s Zephaniah 3:18–20.
Israel had snapped strings. Their worship was broken. Their reputation was broken.
Their strength was broken.
Their national pride was broken.
But God said:
I will gather.
I will undo.
I will save.”
I will restore.
I will make you a praise.
God didn’t throw them away because something snapped.
He made music out of what was left.
Let’s connect the Dots.
Verse 19, I will save her that halteth.
That’s the broken string.
Verse 20, I will make you a name and a praise.
That’s the standing ovation.
What the enemy thought would end the performance
became the highlight of the story.
And when you realize:
You should’ve lost your mind.
You should’ve lost your family.
You should’ve lost your ministry.
You should’ve lost your influence.
But God made music out of your broken places.
You don’t need a full orchestra.
You don’t need perfect conditions.
You just say:
This is why I feel like praising God.
Powerful Closing Line
Because when God restores you, He doesn’t just fix the string.
He turns the broken moment
into the reason the audience stands.
And when I think about what broke in my life.
but didn’t break me.
I FEEL LIKE PRAISING GOD.
And when you understand that’s when you will say.
This is why I feel like praising God.
