Looking Upward

Looking Upward

Text: Psalm 105:1-5

Introduction

It is important to know a little bit of the back story of this Psalm. Verses one through twenty three were penned by David and delivered to Asaph that it may be sung in thanksgiving to God for returning the ark of the covenant to the tabernacle.

This was a monuments moment for David. This was the symbol of God’s presence and His favor. The tabernacle once again had the presence of God. WOW, that is something to be thankful for!

Today, I am wanting us to enter this thanksgiving season with our hearts reaching upward. We look all around us and we should be filled with thanksgiving. However, let us not allow our thanksgiving to rest upon the things around us, but rather on the Lord above us. He is the sole reason for all things coming to pass.

Gratitude. Natural expression of thanks in response to blessings, protection, or love. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, gratitude is not a tool used to manipulate the will of God. It is never coerced or fabricated in one’s mind; rather, gratitude is a joyful commitment of one’s personality to God.1

1 Elwell, W. A., & Beitzel, B. J. (1988). Gratitude. In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible (Vol. 1, p. 900). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.

In the OT, gratitude to God was the only condition in which life could be enjoyed. For Jews, every aspect of creation provided evidence of God’s lordship over all life. The Hebrew people thanked him for the magnificence of the universe (Pss 19:1–4; 33:6–9; 104:1–24). When they received good news they thanked God for his goodness and great deeds (1 Chr 16:8–12). When they received bad news, they also gave thanks, trusting that he was a just God (Jb 1:21).1

1 Elwell, W. A., & Beitzel, B. J. (1988). Gratitude. In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible (Vol. 1, p. 900). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.

1) Rejoicing Upward

VERSE 1

Notice that thanksgiving is something you must give. No one can do it for you. It is personal.

There is something very simply here that you will miss if not paying attention. This Psalm was HAND WRITTEN! Truly a token of a heart filled with thanksgiving toward God.

You make special investments for those to whom you are thankful for.

Giving thanks to God is an amazing state of being the Lord has provided us.

Ephesians 5:20 “20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;”

PERSONAL — I had to give thanks for a sinus infection this past weekend.

“call upon his name”

Speak to the one who you depend on for everything!

We must be thankful for the fact we have an audience with the sovereign King of Heaven!

VERSE 2

David is bringing our mouth, tongue and voice to merge all on Jesus.

David knew without a doubt it was God’s hand and his alone who brought the ark back to their possession.

The ark represented God presence and favor on them.

It must truly be heartbreaking for the Creator of all things to witness the speech of humanity to be used very little in praising Him.

You voice’s primary purpose is for broadcasting the works of God.

QUESTION — How often does your conversations find their way to God’s love, mercy, protection, provision, grace.....?

Deu. 6:7 “7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”

2) Seeking Upward

VERSES 3

Glory = to boast (show off)

Examples:

I think of missionaries when the risk doesn’t make sense.

I think of families when the money doesn’t add up.

I think of young ladies who keep themselves pure.

I think of young men who do no follow the most popular.

Matthew.5:16 “16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

John 15:8 “8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.”

1 Cor. 6:20 “20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

Holy = holiness (ritual) n. — the quality of being set apart as opposed to common, often in a ceremonial sense; not necessarily to the exclusion of moral purity.

There is nothing COMMON about the Lord.

Let us never forget why we should be thankful for His Holiness.

Jesus’ gospel work

All things come from His hand

“Let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.”

Too seek God is to ascend above all that is here below.

A heart continuing in thanksgiving is a heart that continues to seek God.

VERSE 4

to seek v. — to try to get or reach something one desires.

Illustration: People have sought many things throughout our history (power, fame, fortune, money). They stopped at nothing to achieve them.

Only when you seek upward will you find what is eternal and strong.

3) Remember Upward

VERSE 5

Psalm 72:18 “18 Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who only doeth wondrous things.”

If God did nothing else for you, there would always be enough to thank Him for for the rest of your life!

The lacking of this very thing is why our country is in the shape it is in.

Some look backward just enough to figure out a way to work their agenda.

“His wonders, and the judgments”

Think back to the wonders when Moses was in Egypt.

God’s judgments of sin will never vary!

As God justly dealt with Egypt, so will he deal with the atrocities of our nation also.

We are never to stop remembering upward so we may see things clearly behind us that way we will never forget to be thankful as we face what is in front of us.

David was overwhelmed with thanksgiving for the God of their covenant.

In the NT, the object of thanksgiving is the love of God expressed in the redemptive-work of Christ.1

1 Elwell, W. A., & Beitzel, B. J. (1988). Gratitude. In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible (Vol. 1, p. 901). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.