HOW TO PLEASE GOD
A. FEAR THE LORD &
B. HOPE IN THE LORD
Psalm 147:11
The LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.
It is an impressive thought that God should, not only be at peace with some people, but He even finds pleasure in their company! Who are these favoured people? They are the ones described in our text.
Let us look more closely at their description.
A. THEY FEAR THE LORD
The LORD delights in those who fear him
It is a fear conjoined with love and hope, and is therefore not a slavish dread, but rather filial reverence. [Easton’s Dictionary]
Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.
1. THE PURITY OF THIS FEAR
Psalm 19:9 The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring for ever. (clean AV)
‘Unmixed with alloys’. = undivided loyalties
The doctrine of truth is here described by its spiritual effect, viz., inward piety, or the fear of the Lord; this is clean in itself, and cleanses out the love of sin, sanctifying the heart in which it reigns (Spurgeon)
Matthew 6:24 "No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
John 17:17 Sanctify {Greek hagiazo (set apart for sacred use or make holy)} them by the truth; your word is truth.
2. THE PRIVILEGE OF THIS FEAR
Psalm 25:14 The LORD confides in those who fear him;
John 15:15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
Ephesians 1:9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,
Ephesians 1:18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.
3. THE PROTECTION OF THIS FEAR
Psalm 60:4 But you have raised a banner for those who honour you [fear You]—a rallying point in the face of attack [NLT]
The Banner was a place of
1. Of unity. This people, who were lately divided and under several banners, are now gathered together and united under one banner,- the Lord‘s.
2. Of battle. They have been given an army and power to oppose the enemies.
3. Of triumph. We have not lost our banner, but gained theirs, and brought it away in triumph: [based on Spurgeon]
II Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him
For the eyes of the Lord go this way and that, through all the earth, letting it be seen that he is the strong support of those whose hearts are true to him [BBE]
4. THE PARTICIPATION OF THIS FEAR
a. ITS FUNCTION
Psalm 2:11 Serve the LORD with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling [NLT]
let reverence and humility be mingled with service. [Spurgeon]
Heb 12:28 & 29 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire.
b. ITS FELLOWSHIP
Malachi 3:16 those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honoured his name
Luke 24:15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them;
1Jo 1:3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
Fellowship
koinwnia koinonia koy-nohn-ee’-ah; partnership, i.e. (literally) participation, or (social) intercourse, or (pecuniary) benefaction:— (to) communicate(-ation), communion, (contri-)distribution, fellowship.
They fear, for they are sinners; they hope; for God is merciful.
They fear him, for he is great; they hope in him, for he is good.
Their fear sobers their hope; their hope brightens their fear:
God takes pleasure in them both in their trembling and in their rejoicing. [Spurgeon]
There is a beautiful relation between hope and fear. The two are linked in this verse. They are like the cork in a fisherman’s net, which keeps it from sinking, and the lead, which prevents it from floating. Hope without fear is in danger of being too cheerful; fear without hope would soon become despondent. George Seaton Bowes
B. THEY HOPE IN THE LORD
Psalm 147:11
The LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.
A sincere Christian is known by both these; a fear of God, or a constant obedience to his commands, and an affiance, trust, and dependence upon his mercies. Oh, how sweetly are both these coupled, a uniform sincere obedience to him, and an unshaken constant reliance on his mercy and goodness! The whole perfection of the Christian life is comprised in these two—believing God and fearing him, trusting in his mercy and fearing his name; the one maketh us careful in avoiding sin, the other diligent to follow after righteousness; the one is a bridle from sin and temptations, the other a spur to our duties. Fear is our curb, and hope our motive and encouragement; the one respects our duty, and the other our comfort; the one allayeth the other. God is so to be feared, as also to be trusted; so to be trusted, as also to be feared; and as we must not suffer our fear to degenerate into legal bondage, but hope in his mercy, so our trust must not degenerate into carnal sloth and wantonness, but so hope in his word as to fear his name. Well, then, such as both believe in God and fear to offend him are the only men who are acceptable to God and his people. God will take pleasure in them, and they take pleasure in one another.
Thomas Manton.
The LORD delights in those . . . . who put their hope in his unfailing love.
A holy fear of God must be a check upon our hope, to keep that from swelling into presumption; and a pious hope in God must be a check upon our fear, to keep that from sinking into despondency. This balance must, I say, by a wise and steady hand, be kept even in every concern that lies upon our hearts, and that we have thoughts about
[Spurgeon}
{elpiv elpis el-pece’; from a primary elpw elpo (to anticipate,
usually with pleasure); expectation or confidence:— faith, hope.}
1. THE SOURCE OF THIS HOPE
a. THE LORD
Lamentations 3:24 The Lord is my heritage; and because of this I will have hope in him. [BBE]
Numbers 18:20 The LORD said to Aaron, "I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites.
To have God for our portion is the one only foundation of hope. [J.F.B.]
Ro 15:13 Now may the God of hope make you full of joy and peace through faith, so that all hope may be yours in the power of the Holy Spirit. (BBE)
b. THE WORD OF GOD
Psalm 119:49 Remember your word to your servant, for you have given me hope.
Psalm 130:5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.
Habakkuk 2:3 But these things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. [NLT]
2. THE STRENGTH OF THIS HOPE
a. THE ANTIDOTE TO WEAKNESS
Psalm 119:81 My soul faints with longing for your salvation, but I have put my hope in your word
b. THE ACTION FOR FEAR
Psalm 31:24 Put away fear and let your heart be strong, all you whose hope is in the Lord. [BBE]
3. THE SECURITY OF THIS HOPE
a. THE SHELTER OF THE LORD
Psalm 119:114 You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.
b. THE SEEING OF THE LORD
Psalm 33:18 the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love.
4. THE SURETY OF THIS HOPE
a. A COMMANDED ACTION
Psalm 131:3 3 O Israel, put your hope in the LORD—now and always. [NLT]
b. A CERTAIN ANSWER
Psalm 38:15 I wait for you, O LORD; you will answer, O Lord my God.
c. A COMMITTED APPLICATION
Psalm 71:14 as for me, I shall always have hope; I will praise you more and more
