Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

Illustration-

a

Communion with God—Power of

In driving piles, a machine is used by which a huge weight is lifted up and then made to fall upon the head of the pile.

Of course the higher the weight is lifted the more powerful is the blow which it gives when it descends.

Now, if we would tell upon our age and come down upon society with ponderous blows, we must see to it that we are uplifted as near to God as possible.

All our power will depend upon the elevation of our spirits.

Prayer, meditation, devotion, communion, are like a windlass to wind us up aloft; it is not lost time which we spend in such sacred exercises, for we are thus accumulating force, so that when we come down to our actual labour for God, we shall descend with an energy unknown to those to whom communion is unknown.

[C.

H. Spurgeon, Feathers for Arrows (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1870), 41.]

C. H. Spurgeon, Feathers for Arrows (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1870), 41.]

Main Thought: Our God is worthy of our worship because of His mighty works of victory over the enemies of our souls.

Sub-intro:

Note - Explain the exegetical structure and heart of this Psalm and why that is important to its exposition.

Concentric Nature of the Psalm:

Concentric Nature of the Psalm:

A - God Scatters the Enemy (vv.

1-2).

II.

Rejoicing in the Strength of God (, ).

B - The Righteous Praise God (vv.

3).

C - Sing to God, the Rider on the Heavens (v. 4).

III.

Sing to God Who Rides Upon the Heavens (, ).

D - In the Sanctuary, God Brings the Marginalized (vv.

5-6).

E - God's People (vv.

7-10).

IV.

God Brings the Poor into His House / Kings Bring Gifts into God's House (, ).

F - Women Publish (v.

11).

G - Kings Flee (v.

12).

V. God's People - Four Tribes (, ).

H - Wings of a Dove (v.

13).

I - God Scatters to Bashan (vv.

14-15).

VI.

Women Proclaim & Damsels Play (, ).

J - God's Mountainous Army (vv.

16-17).

K - God Delivers Captives (v.

18).

L - Benediction (v.

19).

VII.

Kings Flee - God Is My King (, ).

K - God Gives Escape from Death (v.

20).

J - God Crushes Enemies (v.

21).

VIII.

Wings of a Dove - Tongue of a Dog (, ).

I - God Gathers from Bashan (v.

22).

H - Tongue of a Dog (v.

23).

IX.

God Scatters; God Gathers (, ).

G - My King (v.

24).

F - Damsels Play (v.

25).

X. God's Mountainous Army; God Crushes Enemies (, ).

E - Four Tribes (vv.

26-28).

D - Kings Bring Presents to God in the Temple (vv.

29-30).

XI.

God Delivers Captives and Gives Escape from Death (, ).

C - Sing to God in the Heavens, to the Rider (vv.

31-33).

B - Ascribe Strength to God (v.

34).

XII.

Blessed Be God ().

A - God Strengthens His People (v.

35).

Note - BKC’s concise summary of this Psalm:

a

This is “a song” celebrating God’s triumphal ascent to Mount Zion.

If the superscription of Davidic authorship is correct, then the occasion may have been David’s conquering the city (), or moving the ark to Zion (), or some triumphal procession after a victory, or his victories in general.

Some scholars disregard the superscription, and relate the psalm to some other occasion such as the Jews’ return from the Exile, though there are no clear historical references to this in the poem.

Its figurative language makes the psalm adaptable to several occasions.

No doubt the psalm, if written by David, would have been used at subsequent victories.

The greatest triumph to which the psalm is related is Christ’s Ascension, for was paraphrased and applied to Him by Paul ().

The psalmist reviewed the history of Israel from the wilderness wanderings to the occupation and conquest of the land.

He emphasized God’s choice of Zion, which resulted in Israel’s taking many Canaanites as captives and the Israelites receiving gifts or spoils from the captives.

This is the reason he sang praises: God was marching triumphantly on behalf of the oppressed.

David called on others to join him in praising their strong Lord.

[Allen P. Ross, “Psalms,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed.

J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 842.]

Allen P. Ross, “Psalms,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed.

J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 842.

Body:

I.

The Works of Our God ().

a

has the reputation of being the most difficult psalm in the Psalter.1 The psalm contains 15 words that occur only once in the Hebrew Bible (McCann 1996:944).

Numerous relationships between words are obscure.

Some of the poetic lines are perplexing.

And the sense relations between the strophes are not always clear.

In spite of all these interpretive problems, however, the main message of the poem is discernible, and key aspects of that message are evident.

celebrates the reign of God.

This celebration was not individual and private but corporate and public, as 68:24–27 makes clear.

A grand liturgical procession is taking place, and at the center of the procession is God, the reigning king.

With singers in the front and musicians in the rear, God is being escorted to his throne in his royal sanctuary.

Celebration of God’s reign explains why a thread of praise runs through the entire psalm: “Sing praises to God and to his name!” (68:4), “Praise the Lord; praise God our savior!”

(68:19), “Praise God, all you people of Israel” (68:26), “Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth” (68:32), “Praise be to God!” (68:35).

1 “ is generally known as the most difficult of the psalms to interpret” (McCann 1996:944).

“The difficulties of interpreting are almost legendary” (Tate 1990:170).

“There is hardly another song in the Psalter which in its corrupt text and its lack of coherence precipitates such serious problems for the interpreter as ” (Kraus 1989:47).

[Mark D. Futato, “The Book of Psalms,” in Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 7: The Book of Psalms, The Book of Proverbs (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2009), 227.]

Mark D. Futato, “The Book of Psalms,” in Cornerstone Biblical Commentary, Vol 7: The Book of Psalms, The Book of Proverbs (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2009), 227.]

A. Our King Is Coming - Asking God to Scatter the Enemy ().

1.

Let God Arise ().

a

The Psalm has been called "the grandest and most elaborate of all the Dedication Odes," and "one of the masterpieces of the world's lyrics"; and Maclaren says: "This superb hymn is unsurpassed, if not unequalled, in grandeur, lyric fire, and sustained rush of triumphant praise."