Untitled Sermon

Introduction

This Psalm is the shortest psalm and the shortest chapter in the Bible.

But yet it touches on great themes. It touches on the worship of the eternal God.

In this psalm we are told who alone is to be worshipped, who he is to be worshipped by and why he is to be worshipped.

Ultimately the reason we were created was to glorify and enjoy God for ever. One way of doing this is by praise and worship.

This psalm answers important questions about the greatest activity a person can do.

Worshipping God.

We see who is to receive worship, who is to respond in worship and the reasons for worship.

I.Praise the LORD

In this first verse we see that true worship is exclusive and yet inclusive. It is to be directed to the true God, but it is to be done by all people.

a) True worship is exclusive

First the Psalmist tells worshippers who should be praised.

English Standard Version Psalm 117

Praise the LORD

“Praise the LORD...”

In most translations the word LORD is in capital letters, this tells us that in hebrew the name used is YHWH- Yahweh, Jehovah.

The psalmist is saying that Yahweh is to be worshipped, he alone should receive praise.

This name of God was first revealed to Moses in , when God appeared to him in the burning bush.

This name of God reveals that he is the eternal, self sufficient ever present God. He said to Moses I am that I am.

This is the same God, who is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The Triune Creator. Father, Son and Holy Spirit. One God in three persons. Co equal, Co eternal.

He is the one who In the beginning created the heavens and the earth.

He is the one who has revealed Himself to us through creation, through the Scriptures and most of all through the Lord Jesus Christ.

This psalm calls people to worship him.

The call to praise here is exclusive, he alone should be praised.

This psalm is not a friend of the interfaith movement, that claim all faiths share the same God.

No this psalm says that Yahweh is to be praised.

Not the hindu gods, not the greek gods, not the egyptian gods, not the muslim god.

But the God of the Bible. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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That is why as Christians we must never compromise with other religions. There are many liberal churches who claim all faiths worship the same God, but this psalm is clear that if people are not worshipping Yahweh, they are worshipping a false God.

It is important for us to maintain very strongly that only the God of the Bible is to be worshipped. He alone is God.

Yet even Christians can be guilty of worshipping things other than the true God, the fact is anything we place before God is an idol.

We must make sure even as Christians that Yahweh alone receives our praise and worship.

Another important application is that we must make sure we have a proper view of who God is, sometimes people can be guilty of worshipping a God of their own imagination.

We must worship Yahweh, the God who has revealed Himself to us in the Scripture and in Christ. We must worship him correctly.

True worship is exclusive.

Yet the psalmist reveals that true worship is also inclusive.

II. Praise the LORD- All nations

b) True worship is inclusive

Only the true God is to be praised but yet he is to be praised by everyone.

The Psalmist says “Praise the LORD, all nations! Extol him all peoples!”

This call to worship the living God is given to every living person.

All nations and all peoples.

Here in is this psalm we have a glimpse of God’s purpose for the world.

Yes he made a promise to Abraham and his offspring, but the outcome would be that through the promise all nations would be blessed.

We see this fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

The reason that every nation and people can come is because Christ has come not just for the Jews but also for the gentiles, not just for the circumcision but also for the uncircumcision.

In fact Paul quotes this very Psalm in to show that Christ came not just for the Jews but also for Gentiles, So that the gentiles might glorify his mercy.

Of course only those who come through Christ can worship, but because people from every nation are called that means that if they do come through Christ regardless of their nation they will be accepted by the living God.

Here in this verse we have an anticipation of what would happen in and through the finished work of Jesus Christ.

We see this reach its fulfilment in “ After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Knowing that all nations and peoples are called to praise the LORD but that they can only do so through Christ, it becomes obvious that world missions are important.

Through the Gospel all nations can worship their creator, but its down to the Church to take the Gospel to them.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

We see this clearly shown when Christ gave his disciples the great Commission in “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Illustration- St. Patrick

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The question that faces us at this point is what are we doing to help fulfil this great commission?

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

God’s purpose for the nations is that they will praise Him.

The nations can only praise him if they are brought into a saving relationship with him through faith in Christ.

They can only put their faith in Christ if he is preached among them.

The words of come to mind

“13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent?”

14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent?

We might not be called to go to the nations ourselves but we are called to pray and support those who do go.

I’m sure that we long that all nations would praise the LORD and that all peoples would extol him, but what are we doing in order to bring it about?

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

So the first verse says Praise the LORD all nations. True worship is exclusive- only the Yahweh is to be praised. True worship is all inclusive every person may worship if the come to God through Christ.

In the next verse the psalmist gives two reasons why Yahweh should be praised.

II. Praise Him for His love

III.Praise the LORD- For his love

The first reason given is Praise the LORD for his love.

The psalmist says “For great is his steadfast love toward us...”

The word behind steadfast love has to do with God’s covenant loyalty.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

It means that God’s love is firmly fixed and isn’t going anywhere, it is steadfast. He will remain loyal to his promise.

The psalmist emphasises this point by saying that God’s steadfast love toward us is great, it is mighty.

The us in the verse could be referring to Israel and speaking about God keeping his covenant promise to Abraham by redeeming his people from slavery in Egypt during the exodus, that explains why this psalm is often sung by Jewish people at the passover.

But on top of that though it must have a greater meaning. In the light of the whole of Scripture this must refer to God’s steadfast love shown towards all nations and peoples in and through the Lord Jesus Christ, the true lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

God promised in the garden of Eden, to send a Saviour. In his steadfast love he kept his promise and sent His son to be a propitiation for our sin.

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As Christians we know this steadfast love of God. Through Christ we are brought into relationship with God, we have been accepted in the Beloved. Therefore we should live lives of praise.

Of course praise isn’t just singing songs on a Sunday. Our lives should be marked by a worshipful obedience to the LORD.

Everyday our love for God should be increasing.

The truth of God’s steadfast love should encourage us to live lives of praise to God, but it should also encourage us to trust him more.

His love is steadfast, it isn’t going anywhere.

The First reason- Praise the LORD for his steadfast love.

The second reason- Praise the LORD for his faithfulness.

IV. Praise the LORD- For his faithfulness

III.Praise

The psalmist continues in verse 2 saying “and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.”

Praise the LORD!

Here the psalmist is still on the topic of God’s grace, but reinforces what he has just said.

God’s faithfulness to his people is eternal.

The psalmist is calling people to worship the LORD because he is faithful.

God is faithful to keep his promises.

AV translates this verse “and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever.”

What this verse is saying is that God keeps his word, what he has said he will do, what he has promised he will perform and this faithfulness will never end, it endures for ever.

God does not change and his word does not change and neither do his promises.

One commentator says “God’s plans and promises are as fresh and intact now as on the day they were made; and they will remain so.”

Of course the immediate context maybe have been about Israel’s deliverance out of Egypt. But the verses wider context no doubt points to the deliverance of God’s people from sin through Christ.

Kidner, D. (1975). : An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 16, p. 447). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Because God’s faithfulness endures forever God’s people can trust in him to keep them from falling and to present them faultless before his presence with exceeding joy.

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How grateful we should be as God’s people that his faithfulness endures forever.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

God will not suddenly decide one day that he doesn’t care for us anymore. His faithfulness is eternal.

What greater reason could we have to praise God than this.

In light of this great truth our lives should be marked and dominated by praise and worship.

Whether we eat or whether we drink, what ever we do we should do it for the glory of God.

Conclusion