David is the writer of Psalm 34 and in this particular Psalm David has just been delivered from his enemies by the mighty hand of the Lord. He is now in the cave of Adullam and he is running for his life again from King Saul. David gathers his men around him and he begins to exhort them.
He says I will bless the Lord at all times.
I – he said I
∑ Whether you do it or not - I
∑ My family - I
∑ The church - I
∑ The people around me - I
∑ My friends - I
Will bless – I will bless. It’s time to praise. It’s time to give glory. It’s time to exalt.
The Lord – Who is he praising?
∑ He is the one who is worthy.
∑ He is the one who cares for me
∑ He is the one who loves me
∑ He is the one who delivered me
∑ He is the one who protects me
∑ He is the one who makes a way for me
∑ He is the one who saved my soul
I will bless the Lord!
At all times – I will bless the Lord at all times. That means:
∑ Every situation
∑ Good times – bad times
∑ Good days – bad days
∑ Before, during, after trials
∑ Under every circumstance
∑ On the mountain – in the valley
∑ During bright days
∑ Through dark nights
∑ In sickness
∑ In difficulties
∑ In financial crisis
∑ In problems of any kind
I will bless the Lord at all times.
I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth. In other words it is not just in my heart but it is in my mouth. It’s not a passive thing. It’s not something that I do by just sitting there unmoved. The Bible says: “Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men.”
Praise begins with our will. We do not praise the Lord because of how we feel but we praise the Lord because it’s the right thing to do. It is an attitude that we get. We just praise him at all times. Praise is a choice that we make. We say, “I don’t care how ridiculous it looks to those around me, I got to praise the Lord.”
∑ I once was lost but Jesus found me.
∑ I once was blind to the things of God but now I see.
∑ I once was dead in sin but Jesus brought me back to life. Abundant life
My soul shall make her boast in the Lord. The humble shall hear thereof and be glad. Praise starts in our will and then it begins to flow into our emotions. We then praise God not only because it is the right thing to do but we praise him because we feel like it too.
Oh magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together. Praise moves from us to other people as well. Praise is catchy. Praise is contagious.
The Bible says that praise is the reason we were created: To show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. I want you to know that he pulled my life out of darkness one day. I want you to know that he pulled some folks in this congregation out of darkness. We were in a pit of sin when he found us. But Jesus has cleaned us up and set us on a solid rock and has established our goings and has put a new song in our mouth even praise to our God.
I’m preaching today – Try it, you’ll like it!
Exhort from vs. 4-7
David rallies his men together and says you have to try him for yourself.
Oh taste and see that the Lord is good.
I’m preaching today – Try it, you’ll like it!
Just give him a try.
∑ You have tried it your own way for too long.
∑ You did it the way of the world for too long.
∑ You tried other ways for way too long.
Why don’t you give the Lord a try? Why don’t you try it his way for a while?
I’m preaching - Try it, you’ll like it!
Sometimes my wife will try to trick me by putting something that I don’t like into the dinner. She will say try it you’ll like it.
That’s not what I’m talking about this morning.
Someone may try to get you to eat something that doesn’t taste good. Sour candy? They will say try it you’ll like it.
Roller Coaster
That’s not what I’m talking about this morning.
Someone will try to get you to try something you like.
That’s what I’m talking about.
You can try the Lord because he will never let you down. He will never fail you. He will never leave you alone. Everyone else might leave you and forsake you. Everyone else might not understand just what you’re going through. But Jesus does and he wants to help you today. Oh taste and see that the Lord is good.
Psalm 119:103
103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
1 Peter 2:3
3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
Oh taste and see that the Lord is good! This is something that you have to do for yourself. You can’t rely on someone else to do it for you. But you have to taste and see for yourself. Just give him a try today – it will be worth it.
I’m preaching today - Try it, you’ll like it.
Why don’t you give Jesus a try today? What you’ve been doing hasn’t worked. The things that I did in the world didn’t work for me either. They only bring us to a desperate place where we recognize that we need something else. I say why don’t you give Jesus a try. He won’t let you down.
Try it you’ll like it!
This is not a religion that I’m talking about today but it is an experience with a God that loves you. But you must do it Gods way.
God’s way is:
Repentance
Water Baptism in Jesus Name
Infilling of the Holy Ghost
Sometimes people think I have to give up so much to live for God. You do have to give up some things.
∑ Loneliness
∑ Heartache
But really we should think of the things that we gain by living for God.
∑ Peace
∑ Love
∑ Joy
Psalm 103:2
Why don’t you try it today – you’ll like it!
