Sermon Tone Analysis

It’s Only Right

How many Giants fans do we have in the building?

February 3, 2008 marked one of the greatest days and greatest plays in Giants history.

Super Bowl XLII (42).

Giants vs. Patriots.

Giants are losing 14-10, with 1:15 left on the clock, 3 and 5 on their own 44 yard line.

They call hike, Qb Eli Manning practically gets sacked right from the snap.

But he manages to get away.

He throws a desperation pass to David Tyree, the fourth receiver in the lineup.

What happens?

Tyree, goes up, catches the ball with his right hand and pins it against his helmet.

Complete.

Four plays later, Manning connects with Plaxico Burress for a touchdown, sealing the Giants 17-14 victory.

Now if you’re a Giants fan, watching this game unfold, watching the 14-6 Giants take down the undefeated Patriots in the Super Bowl - the greatest football game of the year, what are you doing when David Tyree makes that catch?

You’re losing it.

You’re celebrating.

You’re rejoicing.

You’re rejoicing with those around you.

And if, in the midst of that celebration, I were to come up to you and say, “why are you celebrating?”

You’d say–it’s only right to celebrate, in light of what has happened…in light of the victory that has been won.

It would be fair to say, “It’s only right to celebrate” at that moment in time, right?

Well, church, today I submit to you that another victory has been won, another enemy has been defeated, and the stakes of this victory are infinitely higher than any game on earth, it’s a victory that has eternal implications.

The victory of our Lord Jesus Christ defeating sin and death forever for those who would trust in Him.

And in light of that victory, I declare that

It’s Only Right for Saints to Praise Him.

Today we’re going to look at biblical praise.

We’re going to define it, we’re going to see how it’s demonstrated, and we’re going to end looking at why the church should be a people of praise.

It is my prayer that we as a church would be freed holistically – in mind, soul, spirit, and body – to praise God with all of ourselves – for His glory, for our good, and that those around us would see Him.

With that said, hear the words of our Lord in .

A Panorama of Praise

A Panorama of Praise

The Bible is full of praise.

It’s full of people praising Him, angels praising Him, and His creation praising Him.

In the Old Testament, the word praise shows up over 200 times.

That’s JUST the word ‘praise’.

That doesn’t even account for similar words, such as ‘bless’, ‘give thanks’, and ‘worship’.

In fact, the Bible, is a book about praise – and praising God for His worth, beauty, and infinite value is what we are created for.

The aim of the whole Bible is to show how God has gone to the greatest lengths to provide a way for humans to be brought back into the greatest love relationship with Him and praise His name forever.

It’s what we were made for.

Let’s take a panorama view of the different words used for ‘praise’ in the Bible:

‘halal’ - This word is used over 100 times in the Old Testament.

It means to ‘boast,’ ‘brag,’ ‘express words of excellence.’

The root of this word is connected to the word for making a noise, ‘yada.’

It’s a word that is associated with the bodily actions and gestures that accompany praising.

This is a word of excitement, of jubilation, of joy, of lifting up.

It’s the kind of praise you would have seen from that Giants victory.

‘halal’ is often combined with ‘yah’, the name of the God of Israel (from “yahweh”), to make ‘hallelujah’ – It literally means ‘Praise the LORD’!

It is always a confident, boastful, declaration to God.

‘zamar’ - this word means to sing praises and to make music.

‘yadah’ - means to praise, give thanks, confess, literally ‘throw down’.

It’s usually a term used in public worship.

Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre.

‘tehillah’ - often associated with a song of praise.

It’s what we see here in .

This is the kind of thing that befits the upright.

‘rua’ - to give a blast, a battle cry, a jubilant shouting, a war cry.

Also compounded with te to make ‘teruah’ – a blast of war, blast of joy.

‘ranan’ – to give a ringing cry, a shout for joy.

Shout for joy!

I did this, because I wanted us to see two different things.

First of all, all the different words used to describe ‘praise’ have a notion of being a loud declaration.

Praise is loud across many forms–with words, with cries, with music, with body.

Secondly, Biblical praise is radically God-centered.

“Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous.

Praise befits the upright.”

What I’m trying to get to at the bottom of this is simple:

I want us to seriosu

Here’s my definition of praise–

Praise is a jubilant, all-of-person declaration of joy in God’s attributes and achievements.

And, when you realize all of who He is and what He’s done, you’ll realize that it’s only right to praise Him.

And, when you realize all of who He is and what He’s done, you’ll realize that it’s only right to praise Him.

And, it’s only right to praise Him.

Forms of Praise

Forms of Praise

Profane praise.

Whose Praise is Fitting?

Our text spells this out for us, does it not?

– Praise befits the upright.

The psalmist says that true praise to the Lord God is only fitting for those who are in His family.

True praise is linked to one’s relationship with God.

The fitness of your praise is linked to the foundation of your faith.

In other words, true, beautiful praise is linked to one’s relationship with God.

Those who can praise God in a manner pleasing to Him are those who have tasted and seen His sweet salvation!

Because those are the ones who are living their lives for His glory.

Who are resting in the grace of God for their righteousness.

Why does praise befit the upright?

Because there was a point in time where you did not and could not praise Him in intimacy.

If you did praise, your praise was hollow because you did not know Him.

But He has brought you near.

It is fitting to celebrate and declare.

seen, in all the ways that they fall short, that they’ve sinned against a perfect God, yet have seen His grace in Jesus Christ.

It’s fitting for those to praise Him who have experienced His great mercy for their souls.

Those who have heard Him standing next to Him, in their shame, saying “who stands to condemn you?

Neither do I, now go and sin no more.”

Remember, this is not righteous in the sense of OUR moral perfection.

This is impossible.

There is none righteous, no not one.

This is an uprightness given to all who have turned from their sin, and turned to Jesus, following Him with their whole lives.

These are the one’s whose praise is fitting.

These are the one’s whom it’s only right for them to praise.