Sermon Tone Analysis

Make Praise the Dominant Tone of Your Life!

Dear Congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ,

What would your life be without praise?

As a mere mortal - you need encouragement - not flattery but true encouragment - Skill ought to cultivate - Benjamin Franklin said I can live a month on a good complemement - Those who parent and teach and counsel - like buds …got to blossom - encouragement is how a heart, a character, a goal, dream, a vocation - how its hatched!

That’s the effect on one receive our praise; with God he needs no such - his bucket of glory is full and overflowing - yet He calls us to drink in His goodness - in his character and in all His doings of dialy providence , all the commn graces showers down daily, all His wise arrangings and daily deliverancesin special grace for His people - and much like it is the job in the Trinity to radiate the glory of the Father by the Son to effluence - so too in a lesser way - when we praise the LROD, we a little like the Son, as those made in His image, remade in the image of Christ we - are reflectors that in a mysterious way add to the glory of God in this world!

This mean that just like to be human it is so good to have a belly laugh, as a fallen human it is so good to have tears, even more fundamentally to be human - you are to praise, not only to praise but loudly and in song!

So you will \find all kinds of people realize this, grain of truth in NVP, Robert Schueller’s power of positive thinking, even Oprah - as a whole heretical dangerous even antiChristian , with no real gospel.

But element of truth in need for us to praise!

But listen not all praise is the treu praise we were designed to have at the core of our lives!

I love the way that Augustine put it “If there be praise, but not of God, it is not a Psalm.

FI there be praise, and praise of God, if it is not sung, it is not a Psalm.

To make a Psalm, there go these three: praise, God’s praise, and song!

Remarakable that whoel creation is involved in this: beginnign of the world listen to how descrbies it:

On what were its footings, set, or who laid its corners, morning star sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?

End of teh world - NEW SONG - which is old song of Moses and of the Lamb - songs of redemeption - newly expereinced sung for joy by whole reneewwed creation , and only one who can sing it those expereienced!

I love the way CS Lewis captures this with Aslan singing a song creates the world - reverberates… whole creation called forth in song to God!

My calling, as we reach the last 5 Hallelujah - pure praise Psalms that end the whole Psalter,a s those are introduced by david’s last Psalm -to ask you whether in your daily prayer whether in good or bad times, tired and worn out, angry or frustrated, do you sing your praise - do you do it well?

never forget one particular devotion read at lunch time, from great kdis deveotion book - Dad didn’t go to church, about prayer - answered prayer - at the end of the story - dad come to understanding of gospel, not a church guy - but came - sat on steps, like our church had, … saw older sisters’ boyfriend at time Rob Ambrose coming to LORD - but what cuaght my attention - was this dad who never darkeneed door of a church - singing - it was completely out of tune - but so from the heart - descrbied as the purest praise - and angels rejoiocing with him!

Do you have that kind of praise privately and pubilically in your heart and literally on your lips!

My job this eneveing to teach you how to make such praise a daily part of your life.

I am not going to explain each part of ofDavid’s final praise - and I actually content of what his praiases much like next 5 Hallelujah Psalms.

But I must briefly lay before you the necessity of God directed, heart-felt, full and expansive praise!

Key Truth: It is so good for you, and so deserving of your God to give Him your praises & adorations.

A. Praise must be “blessing” directed from us toward God daily!

A. Praise must be “blessing” directed from us toward God!

May seem obvious, but actually think about much of your prayer life - if God weren’t near would it make a difference?

How much of our prayer and even the church’s praise - is more focused on our needs, our thughts, our inspiritation - than our great God? Kind of mercenary - self-centred don’t you think?

Don’t get me wrong God is honoured as we ask great things, of him, real prayer is an honest wrestling with our suffering and our emtoionis before the LORD in trust and faith - but look how David’s last Psalm begins and ends:

,

Now think of this David is God’s King, Messiah, and as this is compiled as last Psalm - theme of God’s King - can see that this is even Christ as it were speaking as our King and like David of old - lkeading the whole nation of God’s people in praise and worship - and what is on our Messiah;s lips as he prays?

I have forgotten all about my greatness, my position, my job, my needs - I look above circumstances of this world, this universe, in its need and struggle and brokenness - and like those exiles - I look to my God and the divine King!

And soaking in all his goodness - I am not first of all looking for a blessing, I will bless you God - that’s why I am praying, that’s why I am singing!

That is what this mouth is is literally going to recount , like rest of these Hallelujah psalms, and like our congregation with our praises and adorations.

Do you do that with your mouth, in your prayers, around your table, at the end of your days?

Now this “blessing God” is astounding when we consider the greater context of all five books of Psalms.

Remember the challenge book introduced with Blessed is the man who walks - his delight ; how does on the king end - Blessed are all who take refuge in him!

And now the Messinaic King in Book 5 has come - the battles and suffering, he has engaged with us, calls out with us, and how did the last of the battle psalms of the Psalter end, just before this praise one:

The context is saying that as you become a person who knows God’s ways, knows His King, experiences salvation as you cry out to Him - you have been experiencing not only arrows of blessing pointed from heaven to you in commmon grace, providence; but you have become onewhoi is part of this people this nationk, this kingdom of special grace, bullet proof from evil as wlak through this world - and now your prayer life its dominant tone must have a big arrow back towrd God - where God’s goodness and His greateness registering on your heart - is rdirected back to HIm - you bless Him and His Name!

You have experienced this with each other right : Boy/friend girl friend, parent child - arrow back to them - no but I delight in you - I see your goodness greatness I delight in you - I love you - Same with the believer and God!

Whole book teach us a balance and emphasis of our worship.

Appropriate to provide us with opportunities to express all of life's expereiences: the lamentation and praise, the negative and the positive.

Worship can be a time of honestly bringing to God the doubts and the anxieties and sorrows that may be in our minds and hearts.

But while it is appropriate in worship to bring to expression that dark side of life (night of the soul), the dominant note in worship, and even the concluding note in worship - is PRAISE

Ie wonderful tradition of ending with doxology service based on climac of praise = fundamental to orientation of worship and our lives!

It is no mistake that if 1-2 intro, 146-150 conclusion; that the very last Psalm in the body, last of collectionso f David - it is the only one with the title A PRAISE! one word -tehillim -Arabic - (shouting of a sacred formula) As if to finally and through whole rnging gammet of Psalms, - arrive at this pure praise Psalm - defintively teach us how to do it!

I nwonder if you agree that every prayer - in good or bad ought to contain this praise is some way or other.

That like JOb though we may have to battle to get to the point of surrender - need be aboe to say : Lord gives, takes away blessed be the name of the Lord.

Yeah though you slay me yet shall I praise Thee!.

Message of v.2

I hope you understand in the mystery of the life-to-comenot just disembodied spiritis on clouds, wings, … but do understand present heaven, future heaven - udnergirding the whole thing is going to be PRaise.

Faith and hope are needed in this life; spiritual battle and evangelism - but none of those thingi nheaven - but most imopprtant thing that will last from this life into the next, is praise - we will praise for ever, bless Him forever.

And some say OK well when all this battle and dsuffering done … then I will praise… NO in the battle and suffering, as hold on to the LORD call on Him - new song raised, as experienced new delvieerance and presservation, blessing from God .

Can’t wait until heaven to sing your praise.

New Song given to us now - to chagnge our tuen on earth.

So every day you and I must see abundant causes for new praise, in them iddle of the day, , at tehend of the day.

And our praise actually puts a magnifying glass over that goodness breaking into the world that others overlook!

Well what should you bless the Lord for daily?

B. Our Praise Should Include God’s Greatness in Works, Character, Kingdom

When I was a child, once packed 6 kids in car, Disney Wordl - It was great.

Only trip as whole family other than to Holland.

Remember one ride - that awed me - 20,000 Leaues Under the Sea - as 5 year old kid thoguht we were going that far down - trembling fear, almost becma eincontinent with Pirateosof Caribeean as Priates yelling and canons flashing, But different feeling of awe, termbling yet attracted, wanted to discover more, as submarine pod went down - like entering whole new world of wonders!

Fast forward some 30 years, watched my own kids, after reading Robinson Curusoe - go over a bridge - running from wonder to wonder up trees, through forts, … sense of awe and wonder!

That emotion, experience attrracted awe is the gateway into all the other praises in our lives:

Unfathomable in the NIV - inscrutible - can’t find them out - Like Augustine’s insight - only truly known God when you kwno you can’t know him.

If you think you know God like anything else -0 it can’t be the true God, know one ciompletely knows God - and when you realize He is the being ,who is bigger than the whole uvierese, no greatere could exist,… bow and worship - like kid going into unkonw world of wonders!

Herman Bavinck’s wonderful insight God can’t be comprheneded, only appreheneded - Can’t get your head around - but what we do take hold of , get to know, we know truly - just not exhaustivlely !

Well in your praise - acknwelge His greeantess and goodness beyond comphrension, but do grasp apprehend it: How does the Psalmist do it: Does what a friend of mine did for his fiance - re wrote description songs of songs - your neck soars like CN Tower, Your eyes… well that’a little humorous - but wrote quite a poem - able to do it - because a structure…

Well David without the humour - does an A to Z poem - acrostics - let me count the ways I adore you!

I am going to summarize them briefly into three ways - but before i do do you see the need for some structure to your prayers, to our songs - feel the need for more than God - you are great you are good!

How has he been to you… started Tuesday mornign - spend over half in praise of God to start the day - when one of us had a pariticularly clear and smiling answer to prayer =- want to record that here together to…

Well what a motivation to learn these pslams - My friend could not have written that love poem - if he hadn’t first known song of songs.

How thePsalms ought to work - like a little kid learning ABC, times tables, alphabet of how to praise, vocabulary .

Taught each of my kids, chidlren’s catechsim - spiritual categories - whether come to faith or not - categories God’s given us to understand world, self, God, sin, righteousness… Well God didn’t put a catechism in the Bible -but he did put this book of Psalms for you and me!

ABC’s of prayer lament,s and especially praise!

Of course simple creis of heart don’t need a mind and heart trainied in Psalms to … but in terms of daily conscentrated prayer - don’t think do it well with out this God appointed Christ modeled prayer book:

Amazing looking at war psalms - how many -carried psalter, a prayer book with them ie.

General Grant… do you?

Preface to Genevan Psalter - written in exile with Louis Bourgeious "When we sing [the psalms] we are certain that God puts in our mouths these, as if he himself were singing in us to exalt his glory."

Athanasios writing a letter of spiritual counsel, an Egyptian bibilical scholar, Black Dward, dark-skinned Bishop of Egypt, Exlied 5 times by 4 different Roman Emperor's … 'All Scruipture, my son, both ancient and neww, is inspired by God and profitable for teaching as it is written, But the book of Psalms possesses a certain winning exactitude for those who are prayerful!"

So my friend sings of the beauty of his beloved - what do you sing and praise and pray of God?

What blessing arrows send up?

i. Wonder-Deeds (4-7)

Do worship the God of the Wonder?

Creation, Flood, Exodus, Parting of the Red Sea, God who Showed Up on Mount Sinai, Pardoned their Sin, God Promised One dday Co0m Down and Personally make atonemtn for our Sin, God Who Hears Cries not only in Egtypt, all through history of the Judges, and teh Exile, God sent His Son - heard Blind Bartemus - every one else ignores - What woud you have me do for you?

God who shows up a the tombs of his precious saints, every precious child - like Lazarus - in all your affliction says was afflicted.

God who destroys dath, Rises assys so to rise with Me - seated in Heaven God who sends His Hoply Spirit in OPwer on his Chruch even this church -

People can only do this if get doing what Psalm said must - beigning to end - make time, emptiness in your life - to mediatate mull over God’s Ways - If you were just about to get married - boy you would be caught day dreaming from time to time - going voer what your beloved is like - caught smiling - hoping - Weaer to with God - and in prayer give voice - sing aloud of his righteousness, and look peronslally your righteousness!

They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

ii.

Innermost Character:

This is the second theme of his praise: God is gracious and compassionate, his forbearance, his slowness to anger - ever have someone patient with you - know you were slower than the rest, not quite getting new technique - someone committed to seeing you through until get it!

David sings, prays, shouts out goodnews of this inner quality of God towards Him! REflected deeply on it - Name God gave to Moses - name prophets relfected on - what makes hesed - God’s loyaty faithfulness, affectionate love for us so amamzing!

Now if you praise a sports star, or an actress - reocunt how good they are that’s one thing.

If some business owner - entrepuener gets praise one thing.

Some poeople only know how to praise God, becauseits proper , necessary - but its is praise of a distant God!

Songs like this make things much more personal: Particularly with that word mercy! - jesus prayer “lord Jesus have mercy on me a sinner” - peasant monk wandering Russia - Brother Lawerence - Practicng the Presenc eo foG od in daily life… Went to one of your houses this week - opened the door - smiling face, but distracted by a picture painting in your entrance way - Return of the Prodigal - Rembrandt - on knees Father so thankful to have in t embrace - shame guilt, melted in forgiveness!

What David is praising God for - Imagine not just a boss being praised, but your boss, - the boss that two weeks ago just fired you - you had made some sloppy mistakes - you had stolen, pilfered parts - he had caught you - imagine this boss knew you inside out - knew no excuse good enoguh - but looked in the eye - I love you I love your family - don’t have to pay it back - but live a new life - imagine track record of doing that for many - imagine at that guys funeral - no empty - but have testimonies of people saying that guy really really cared, heart full of mercy - your praise of that boss so different than just accomplishemnts - say you know His heart!

Do you get it saints and sinners here today?

Common ground - is mercy of the LORD.

Our boss, not only forgave gave Himself our Lord sacrificed himself to save you - now shares his resurrection life with you - now sends His spisirt to acocmpnay you through this veil of tears, to empower you - say - mercy , grace, …

bLESS THE lORD AS hE MAKES YOU A SAINT IN cHRIST, NOT BECAUSE PERFECT, BUT GRACE SET YOU APART TO BECOME THAT NEW PEROSN IN RELATIONSHISP TO A gOD WHO NOW RELATES TO YOU BY GRACE AND NOT YOUR PERFORAMANCE !