Sermon Tone Analysis

NLT - Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness.

Let the whole world know what he has done. 2 Sing to him; yes, sing his praises.

Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.

3 Exult in his holy name; rejoice, you who worship the Lord.

4 Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him.

5 Remember the wonders he has performed,

his miracles, and the rulings he has given,

Thanksgiving in essence marks the start of the season of giving, from Thanksgiving to Christmas to New Year’s many people around this time of year are friendlier, more in a giving frame of mind, whether it be giving of their time, their money or stuff for people in need.

For the Christian it should just serve as a reminder to be thankful, a time when we can step up our service, our giving, our thanks, our worship, our praise; after all we should be thankful all year long…right?

I mean when we think about it, God is good all year long 24/7, 365 and every four years 366, so we should be thankful the same way God is faithful.

Am I right about it?

This Psalm was written by King David and given to Asaph to be used in the daily service of the sanctuary when the ark was fixed in the place he had prepared for it.

David was laying out for the people how worship was to be conducted, and what their responsibilities were in the Service.

So David begins by telling the people “Give thanks to the Lord”.

It sounds so simple, but do we really stop to think about all the things God does for us on a daily basis?

Have we truly considered the things He has blessed us with?

The people in our lives - our families, church and biological and those we’ve adopted along the way.

Jobs - the ones we like and the ones we didn’t or don’t like, remembering there is someone who would love to have the job you have.

The income from that job that allows you to pay your bills and gets some of your wants as well.

The house you live in, whether you’re renting or you own, there’s someone on the street that would love to be at your address.

Our health - however good or bad it is.

These bodies are breaking down, but the spirit man is well and happy for every day it has on this earth and looking forward to an eternity in heaven where there won’t be any isms or schisms, no aches and pains, or walking sticks.

From childhood we are taught to say, “thank you” when we’re given something, but do we really stop to think about all that God has, is and will do for us and how often do we stop to say, thank you.

We will thank someone for holding the door open for us, but David says we are to give thanks to the Lord.

Not only that, we are to proclaim his greatness.

God is great and greatly to be praised.

If he never does anything else, He’s done enough for us to proclaim his greatness every day for the rest of our days.

And to whom are we proclaiming his greatness—the whole world.

David says we need to let the whole world know what he’s done.

How close did you get to inviting 10 people last month?

You fell a little short?

No problem, it’s a new month, let’s start again and this month has one of those holidays that’s big for those who don’t normally go to church.

So you have an advantage.

So David gives us two whats

Give thanks to the Lord

Proclaim his greatness

He gives us the who

To the whole world

Now he gives us some hows.

You ever been given a task and you have no idea where to start?

You really want to do it, but you just don’t know how.

Well David says “sing to him; yes, sing his praises”.

Music.

Music is such an important part of worship, it sets the atmosphere for the coming of the Holy Spirit.

The musicians and the pastor are a team who come together to help the congregation experience God in worship.

To help them go to another level of spiritual maturity.

There is an art to the music ministry in worship.

When you think about it, have you ever had a song lift you out of despair?

I’ve been in some places in my life mentally and spiritually, where had it not been for the music of Yolanda Adams and Fred Hammond and John P. Kee, CeCe Winans and The Winans.

And songs like, In the Garden and Near the Cross as the Mississippi Mass Choir sang it, Total Praise and Amazing Grace.

There are songs that comfort, there are songs that reassure, there are songs that lift you out of the depths of despair, there are songs that cause you to remember a certain place and time and person, there are songs that encourage you, there are songs that can usher you into the very presence of God and there are songs that can remind you of who God is, of his greatness, of his mercy, of his grace, of his faithfulness, of—his love.

Sing to him; yes, sing his praises.

In David says, “Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: 2 Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious”.

Martha Munizzi told us in her song Glorious, “I was created to make your praise glorious”.

Many of the Psalms are songs and there are artist who have been able to once again set them to music

says, “Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. 2 Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God.

2 Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God.

Selah.

3 But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

4 I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill.

Selah.

Verse 3 is the chorus and it says, But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, the lifter up of mine head.

5 I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.

Verse 4 is another verse, I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill.

5 I laid me down and I slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.

6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.

And verse 6 is another verse to the song I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that set themselves against me round about.

One of my absolute favorites is the 121st division of the Psalm, the song says

2 Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.

I will lift up mine eyes to the hills, from whence cometh my help.

My help cometh from the Lord, the Lord which made heaven and earth.

He said He will not suffer thy foot, thy foot to be moved: the Lord that keepeth thee he will not slumber nor sleep.

2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

For the Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand, upon thy right hand.

No the sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

He shall preserve thy soul even forever more.

5 The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.

And it rises in crescendo to, my help, my help, my help, all of my help cometh from the Lord.

6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

Sing to him, yes, sing his praises.

And we can’t leave out our own neighboring hometown great Thomas Dorsey who penned the hymn Precious Lord after the death of his wife during childbirth and his son a day later.

In his grief he wrote;

Precious Lord, take my hand

Lead me on, let me stand

I'm tired, I'm weak, I'm worn

Through the storm, through the night

Lead me on to the light

Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

While there are many artist who have set their grief to music, another I’m sure you all will know is what became an iconic song of overcoming…

Never would have made it, never could of made it without you, I would have lost it all, but now I see how you were there for me.

I’m stronger, I’m wiser, I’m better, much better, when I look back over all you’ve brought me through, I can see you were the one I held on to.

Penned and performed by Marvin Sapp after the death of his father.

Even in death, which looks like the end to us sometimes; we can rejoice in the Lord, we can find that song to sing to our great God who has given us every thing.

We need to tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.

When you’ve get good news you want to share that news.

You want to shout it from the roof tops the blessing you’ve received.

At the birth of a child there are sometimes formal birth announcements that are sent out, wedding announcements and invitations, graduation announcements and invitations, baptism and dedication invitations.

When you’re celebrating, you want others to join you in that celebration.