Psalm 138

Psalm 138 (Mission Dignity Sunday 2021) David praises God for the Truth of His Word – A Praise and Worship message ‘I don’t need to go to church to praise God’ (an excuse given for not attending church) 1. I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee. (1 Corinthians 8:4-6, little g gods). a. Your worship cannot be fake. It must be from the heart. b. John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. c. One Reason to worship - Isaiah 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. 2. I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. (1King 8:29) a. Temple – Several verses refer to looking toward the Temple of God to pray i. “Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” John 2:19. ii. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John 1:14. b. Lovingkindness – 23 times in the Psalms. Because God is love, lovingkindness is who He is as well. The Hebrew word is Checed or covenant loyalty, and there is no perfect English word for it. i. His mercies are new each day. ii. God is no respecter of persons c. Truth – “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6 i. “Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” John 18:37. d. Word – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1. e. Praise thy name – What is God’s name? His name is LORD! (4 time in the KJV i. Exodus 15:3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name. ii. Jeremiah 33:2 iii. Amos 5:8 iv. Amos 9:6 It is he that buildeth his stories in the heaven, and hath founded his troop in the earth; he that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name. v. READ - Isaiah 42:8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. vi. READ - Philippians 2:9-11 f. Thy word above all thy name – His word is, i. A promise ii. A command iii. Jesus 3. In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul. a. Jeremiah 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. i. I liken this to the cry of a child in a room full of children and their moms. David prophesies that the kings of the earth shall praise God 4. All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth. a. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. Romans 14:11. Also seen in Isaiah 45:23. 5. Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD. a. READ - Isaiah 52:7-10 6. Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off. a. Respect = to regard or to be concerned over; to look upon and consider. b. READ - Luke 18:10-14 David professes his confidence in God 7. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. a. It’s not that God will always prevent your troubles or even that He will pick you up once you’ve come through them. The Bible says that while you are in the midst of the trouble, HE will revive you! i. Revive means to live or to live again; to preserve life. ii. The magnitude of the word “revive”, when spoken by God, is without a complete definition. It’s meaning stretches from to strengthen all the way to being born again. And that’s what HE does for us while we are in the midst of trouble. He breaths the very breath of life upon us. b. If we stand between God and our enemies, (our problems, or our struggles), how shall He stretch forth His hand against them? We get out of the way be surrendering the issue to HIM and then getting out of His way. Thus, when we bow before God our enemy stands before Him. (We leave the enemy vulnerable before Him). 8. The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands. a. The certainty of God – HE will! i. God gave mankind authority over the matters of this world, including one’s own life. We must surrender that authority back unto God in order that HE might perfect us. ii. It’s not the things that I am concerned about but rather the things that pertain to me in the eyes of God. 1. God created each of up with a specific purpose and plan in mind. iii. John 15:1-2 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. b. The reminder of God’s mercy i. Psalm 103:17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; c. The plea to God. We only cry out like this when we BELIEVE that God is. Now, if we replace the name ‘David’ with our own name, will the Psalm read the same? David praises God for the Truth of His Word – How do you praise Him? David prophesies that the kings of the earth shall praise God – Do you testify of His goodness? David professes his confidence in God – Does your life demonstrate a true confidence in God? Again, people say, ‘I don’t need to go to church to praise God’and of course, you don’t have to attend church to praise and worship God. But the Bible tells us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. (Hebrews 10:25). Those that do, will forget to praise, and worship God on a regular basis. They will forget to praise HIM is spirit and truth of His word. They will forget to praise HIM through testifying of HIS lovingkindness to those around them. They will forget to praise HIM through living out their confidence in Him, calling upon Him only in their hour of need. Are you ‘they’? It is the FOOL who says there is no God, and it is the FOOLISH Christian that says, I don’t need to be in God’s house to praise and worship Him. AND IF IT DOESN’T – WHAT? Perhaps the road to true praise and worship begins in the House of God. HE is worthy to be praised for the sake of His Salvation alone, For God so loved the world…

Psalm 138

[With all my powers of heart and tongue

I’ll praise my Maker in my song:

Angels shall hear the notes I raise,

Approve the song, and join the praise.

Angels that make thy church their care

Shall witness my devotions there,

While holy zeal directs my eyes

To thy fair temple in the skies.]

I’ll sing thy truth and mercy, Lord,

I’ll sing the wonders of thy word;

Not all thy works and names below

So much thy power and glory show.

To God I cried when troubles rose;

He heard me, and subdued my foes;

He did my rising fears control,

And strength diffused through all my soul.

The God of heav’n maintains his state,

Frowns on the proud, and scorns the great;

But from his throne descends to see

The sons of humble poverty.

Amidst a thousand snares I stand,

Upheld and guarded by thy hand;

Thy words my fainting soul revive,

And keep my dying faith alive.

Grace will complete what grace begins,

To save from sorrows or from sins

The work that wisdom undertakes

Eternal mercy ne’er forsakes.

Watts, I. (1998). The Psalms and hymns of Isaac Watts. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.