Sermon Tone Analysis

Psalm 145

MAIN IDEA

CREATION’S DESIGN

It is intricately woven into the design of every created human being to Praise the LORD.

Whether one desires to or not is not the issue at stake.

Your opinion of God’s greatness in no way affects the reality of His greatness.

You were born to love Him,

You were born to know Him,

You were born to walk in His ways,

You were born to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

The final note of the final Psalm rings familiar here tonight, no doubt, but let it sink in…Psa 150.6

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THE CHURCH’S ADVANTAGE

Q: What is normal behavior for the man or woman/boy or girl who loves the LORD with all his/her heart, mind, soul, and strength?

Adrian Rogers is quoted as saying, “The thing that makes the church distinct…is that she’s different!”

It is a normal thing for someone who love the LORD and who has set their affection on Him to bless His name, sing His praises, meditate on His goodness, and speak often of Him.

APPROACHING THIS PSALM

The devotional life of Jesus Christ was consumed with the Psalms.

You see it when He teaches, you hear it when He prays, all heard it quoted from the cross!

A deep life of worship is NOT POSSIBLE outside of a great deal of time in the Psalms.

The Psalms are divided into 5 books.

I. Book 1 (Pss.

1–41)

Yahwistic psalms of David (3–41)

II.

Book 2 (Pss.

42–72)

Psalms of the sons of Korah (42–49)

Elohistic psalms of David (51–72)

III.

Book 3 (Pss.

73–89)

Psalms of Asaph (73–83)

Psalms of the sons of Korah (84–88)

IV.

Book 4 (Pss.

90–106)

Psalms of God’s kingship (93–99)

V. Book 5 (Pss.

107–150)

Hallelujah thanksgiving psalms (111–118)

Songs of Ascent (120–134)

Tonight we find ourselves in book 5 - Songs of Ascent to the Temple - the Presence of God.

SUMMARIZE THIS NOTE...

The strophical structure, like the progress of thought, is rather irregular.

This is possibly due to the acrostic character of the poem, the first letters of the verses following the order of the Hebrew alphabet.

Nun only is absent; for what reason does not appear.

this Psalm is not consumed with

the method of praise

the one praising

David immediately makes God the object of this Psalm of Praise.

1. REALITY: God’s People Praise the LORD

Psa 145.1-3

NOTE THE TEXT

Notice the immediate surrender as the Psalm opens.

I will enthusiastically praise

MY GOD

MY KING

Question: Do your lips proclaim that He is your God?

Does your life declare that He is your King?

One Bible Scholar, reflecting on this passage writes,

It is an act worthy of severe punishment for a man to limit God’s love and mercy, and wantonly to exclude himself from their influence.

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2. RESPONSIBILITY: God’s People Talk to one another about HIS Greatness

Psa 145.4-7

QUESTION: What are the LORD’s people consumed with?

What dominates their interactions?

What/Who is the chief topic of conversations?

It is young and old and in between, crossing generational boundaries and declaring to one another

His works

His mighty acts

His Glorious splendor of His Majesty

His Might of his Awesome Deeds

His greatness

His fame

His abundant goodness

His righteousness

Notice the normal methods employed corporately here:

commend - in a manner worthy of His name

declare - to make visible things otherwise not (“you may not know this, but here’s what the LORD has done in me…”)

meditation - go over carefully in one’s mind (roll over)

speak - use Words!

pour forth - gush / eager to celebrate

sing aloud - cry out / sing with joy

illustrate singing faces

MATTHEW HENRY WRITES OF THIS JOYOUS RESPONSIBILITY...

His saints bless Him, for they collect the rent and tribute of praise from the inferior creatures, and pay it into the treasury above.

All God’s works praise Him, as the beautiful building praises the builder, or the well-drawn picture praises the painter.

But His saints bless Him as the children of prudent, tender parents rise up and call them blessed.

Of all God’s works, His saints, the workmanship of His grace, the first-fruits of His creatures have most reason to bless Him.

JUST IMAGINE THE REACTION TO THIS TYPE OF COMMUNITY, FROM SOMEONE WHO DOESN’T KNOW THE LORD PERSONALLY.

I’m not setting the bar for super-saints here…I’m just showing you the joyful responsibility we have among this body to make sure that the main theme of our discussions ON and OFF campus IS THE MAIN THEME OF OUR LIVES…OUR GOD AND KING!

3. REASON: Who is the LORD…that He should be praised?

Not much exposition needed here…this is not an exhaustive list…but enough to demonstrate HIS WORTHINESS.

In fact, if this were all that he was and and done…it’s enough!

F.B. Meyer writes,

There is more happiness in the world than we are disposed to think.

God’s works give praise to him.

Take, for instance, the gladness of one summer day, when from the little green lizards upward there is a perfect murmur of enjoyment in the stilly heat.

Shall we not trust God, to whom the care of all things is as easy as the opening of the hand is to us?

4. THE RETURN: Personal, Precise, Corporate, Eternal Preparation

The final reflection:

This Psalm is taken up exclusively with God’s praise.

The Psalmist (vers.

1, 2) praises the LORD even into eternity,