Our Great God

When we think of the greatness of God we often and rightly think of things such as His omnipotence or how He created the world and everything in it. However, I would like to propose that the greatness of God can be seen in every action of God no matter how big or small. I also believe that the greatness of God can be seen in the heart and mind of God. His love is a great love and His wrath is great and terrible. There is not a person in this room or even in this world who has an adequate view of God. He has always been greater than we know or understand.

Greatness Defined

Concise Oxford English Dictionary Great

of an extent, amount, or intensity considerably above average

Psalm 145:3 “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.”

Perhaps the best we can do is to say that we use the word “great” to describe the incomparibility of God.

Whatever the greatest power we have to offer God is more powerful.

Whatever the greatest love we have to offer God is more loving.

He is not simple above average He is incomparable.

The Greatness of God in His Care

Protection

There are many appeals in this Psalm. In these opening verses David first appeals for God’s protection.

Notice the verbs in v. 1, 2

Contend - with those that contend with me.

Fight - against those who fight against me.

Take - hold of a shield and a buckler

Rise - for my help

Draw - the spear and javelin against my pursuers!

The righteous will always be opposed. They will be opposed because the wicked will always oppose God. Just as true disciples of Christ will be hated because they hated Christ first. Thus the righteous will always have to appeal to God for protection.

But Israel was always under attack, was God not faithful to this promise? When God allowed Israel to be attacked by foreign nations He did so to draw them back to Himself. The Old Covenant was clear that if they lived in disobedience God would do what was necessary.

That being said, the OT is full of examples of God interceding for the protection of His people.

Pillar of cloud by day and fire by night

Water from rocks and manna from heaven

Seas parting

The sun standing still

Giants slain

The walls of Jericho falling

Armies slain by angels

Haman hanging on his own gallows - the entire story of Esther is a lesson in the greatness of God through His providential care.

Walls rebuilt

A baby born in Bethlehem

Comfort

“Say to my soul, ‘I am your salvation!”

Sometimes we just need to hear these words of comfort.

Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

The Greatness of God in His Judgment

David’s Requests

Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life!

Let them be turned back and disappointed who devise evil against me!

Let them be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the Lord driving them away!

Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them! For without cause they hid their net for me; without cause they dug a pit for my life.

Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it!

And let the net that he hid ensnare him; let him fall into it—to his destruction!”

Their Malice

They are trying to kill him (v. 4)

They have laid traps for him (v.7-8)

False witnesses (v. 11, 20-21)

Repay evil for good (v. 12)

Mocked his pain (v. 15, 16)

God’s Judgment

Did God ever grant David’s appeals? Why does God let things get so bad before He intercedes?

Prior to the flood

The wickedness of the Amorites

Genesis 15:16 demonstrates God’s love, mercy, and above all His longsuffering and patience with sinful man. Rather than immediately wipe out the Amorites, God chose to wait for over four hundred years to bring judgment upon them.

The enemies of God would be displaced as God settled His chosen people in the land He had promised them. Yet God’s enemies did not need to remain enemies. They were given ample time to turn from their wickedness, turn to God, and be forgiven. The Amorites had a chance to repent and be saved.

The Assyrians of Nineveh in Jonah’s day.

This helps us to understand that God’s mercy is great, but one day or another everyone will come to know that His judgment is also great.

What happened to the people of Noah’s day?

What happened to the Amorites?

What happened to the Assyrians? - Eventually destroyed by the Babylonians.

The Greatness of God in His Uniqueness

“Oh Lord, who is like you…?” - v. 10

Psalm 71:19 “Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you?”

Psalm 113:5 “Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high,”

Isaiah 44:7 “Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen.”

Psalm 71:19 “Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you?”

Micah 7:18 “Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.”

His Uniqueness in Psalm 35

Care for the poor and needy

Judgment of the wicked

Deliverance of His people

His righteousness

Worthiness to be praised

It becomes perfectly clear that the God of the Bible is not a creation of man.

Every false god presents a false plan for redemption from works based systems of good works to more nightmarish things as human sacrifice.

They all have one thing in common they were clearly created by sinners.

Only the God of the Bible is a perfect combination of attributes and character. Only in Him is love and justice satisfied.

The Greatness of God in His Deliverance

The Ultimate Relief of Suffering

Throughout the Psalms we find David praising God for relief that hasn’t arrived yet.

Psalm 35:18 “I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you.”

Psalm 35:27–28 “Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, “Great is the Lord, who delights in the welfare of his servant!” Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.”

The Psalms consistently remind us of the ultimate deliverance of heaven.

The Vindication of His Servants

All of God’s servants will be vindicated. When Christ returns the whole world will know that we were right to follow Him.

But David makes an important point in v. 24. It is not by our righteousness that we are vindicated, but by Gods.

Conclusion:

We can see the greatness of God in big things and small things.

We can see the greatness of God in pleasant things and painful things.

It is not so much about where you look but how you look at something that will determine either a fleshly or spiritual response. When we learn that lesson we will find that even in the midst of persecution that God is still great.