Doxology

Introduction

Poetry - the language of love.

Have you ever written a poem for someone you love? Or had someone write you one?

A line from one of the poems I wrote as a teenager: I think about you when you’re here, I think about you when you’re gone. Without you, I am like a bewildered fawn. Standing in the field of loneliness; I, without you, am like a child, motherless.

Worship of God is often expressed in poetic ways…like songs… and psalms.

Psalm 145 is most likely the last of David’s and is a Hebrew acrostic poem. It’s is David’s final doxology.

Doxology

A word of praise

Story behind “The Doxology”

Written by Thomas Ken, England’s first hymnist, born in 1674.

Served as chaplain of Winchester College, a historic boys’ school he also attended.

While at Winchester he wrote three hymns (unheard of at the time since only Psalms were sung) to be sung by the boys in the morning, evening, and at midnight if they couldn’t sleep. Each verse ended with, “Praise God from Whom all blessings flow. Praise Him, all creatures here below. Praise Him above, ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.”

The refrain was also sang at his funeral.

Worship is the primary way we express gratitude to and for God.

Text: Psalm 145

Only Psalm Titled, “A Hymn of Praise.”

One Potential Outline: Promise of Praise and Word of Praise

vv. 1-2 Promise of Praise - David personally

Continually & Forever

Augustine - Think not then that He, whose Greatness has no end, can ever be enough praised by thee. Is it not then better that as He has no end, so neither should thy praise have end? His Greatness is without end; let thy praise also be without end.…

v. 3 Word of Praise

God is great, therefore he deserves to be greatly praised.

His greatness is so great that it is “unsearchable.”

Does the greatness of your worship mirror the greatness of God?

vv. 4-7 Promise of Praise - David & Others - For God’s Works

Worship is one way for us to tell the next generation about God’s goodness. (It is Well - My sin—oh, the bliss of this glorious thought— My sin, not in part, but the whole, Is nailed to His Cross, and I bear it no more; Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!)

Meditation (verse 5) gives way to “pouring forth the fame” (verse 7)

vv. 8-9 Word of Praise

Verse 8 is reminiscent of Exodus 34:6-7: 6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

David brings up a passage that literally spoke of God’s love extending from one generation to the next.

Does your worship tell the next generation of what God has done?

vv. 10-12 Promise of Praise - Works and Saints

The works themselves speak magnitudes about God.

Worship also tells others AKA “the children of man” about who God is.

vv. 13-20 Word of Praise

Mostly words of God’s goodness and kindness / a benevolent King

Still (verse 20) He is just. Augustine, “Thou seest that there is severity with Him, with whom is so great sweetness.”

Does your worship serve as a Gospel witness to the world?

v. 21 Promise of Praise - David & All Flesh

David’s final word of paise / doxology?

Left up to us to fulfill.

Augustine: His Greatness is without end; let thy praise also be without end.…

Does our worship fulfill the promise David made?

Conclusion

Questions to Ask

Does the greatness of your worship mirror the greatness of God?

Does your worship tell the next generation of what God has done?

Does your worship serve as a Gospel witness to the world?

Homework: Write an Acrostic of Thanksgiving to God.

Worship is the primary way we express gratitude to and for God.