Praise the Lord!
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commands God’s people to praise. It beautifully closes the book of Psalms, many of which deal with this very topic. God is worthy of praise. God created us to worship him. This doesn’t make God an egomaniac. He didn’t need us to worship him, rather there simply isn’t anything greater or more worthy of worship than God.
When I originally planned this sermon, there was a possibility that the Crusader’s Men’s choir would have been present to sing, adding their voices to ours. Alas, they were unable to be here today, and we look forward to another opportunity in the future.
commands God’s people to praise. It beautifully closes the book of Psalms, many of which deal with this very topic. God is worthy of praise. God created us to worship him. This doesn’t make God an egomaniac. He didn’t need us to worship him, rather there simply isn’t anything greater or more worthy of worship than God.
Our chief purpose in life, indeed the Westminster Shorter Catechism’s first question is, “What is the chief end of man?” The answer is: “to glorify God and enjoy him forever.” God created us to worship him, and we find our greatest joy, delight and freedom when we do just that.
Donald Williams in The Preacher’s Commentary says, “many people are hard, cold, loveless, fearful, introverted, sad, scared, empty, angry, violent, cunning, self-centred, self-consumed... because they have never really worshipped God. They have never bowed to Him, submitted to Him, seen Him in his glory and love, and risen up to praise him, to make joyful noises and shouts before Him. They have never known this release, or if they have known it for a moment, they have refused to stay there, wedded to worship, dwelling in the presence and receiving the power of almighty God granted to us through his Son in His Spirit.”
It is necessary then, to examine our hearts. Are we here to worship God? Is our whole life, as much as we are able, focussed on giving Praise to God? Does the awesomeness of God consume our thoughts? Passages like teach us how to worship God in spirit and in truth. From this Psalm we learn three things about worship: Who and where, Why and How.
Verse 1 addresses the first thing: Who and where. We are to worship God. Praise the Lord. The word is Hallelujah, literally, Y’all praise the Lord.
We corporately, as well as individually, are to praise God. He is the author and creator, the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end. There is no one, not anything greater than God is. We were created to worship him. Our whole lives thrum with the desire to praise, and that praise is most powerfully experienced when we are worshiping the true God.
Where do we praise God? We praise God in his sanctuary. In the Old Testament, this was the tabernacle which was replaced by the temple. But in the new covenant, it is our bodies. God lives within us, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We can worship God anywhere and everywhere. But we are also God’s body when we are gathered together. It is individual and corporate. Yes, you can worship God in the woods, on the beach. But you are missing out if you never worship God with God’s people.
God is worshipped continually, in Heaven and one day we will join in that chorus of praise. How that will look, I’m not at all sure. I don’t believe it will mean that we will only praise God through singing and with instruments, but that really, truly, the very way we will live will be praise to God!
The second thing this Psalm teaches us is, why?
We praise God for his mighty acts and according to his excellent greatness! God has acted throughout history. From the flood, to the plagues, to the destruction of Jerusalem, God has intervened in human activity. From the promises of a saviour to Adam and Eve, to Noah, Abraham and David, God has worked to bless people. He protected them through the Red Sea, through the Jordan River. He fought battles for the Israelites. God faithfully looked after his people, even when they were unfaithful to him, especially so, as we see in God sending his very own Son to save us.
Not only has God acted in Biblical history, he has acted in our own lives. He provides our daily bread. He answers our prayers. He heals us. He brings us together by the person of the Holy Spirit, building us into a community. He strengthens and nourishes us with his Word.
We praise God for he is great! God is the greatest, the mightiest king, and the ruler over all. Worship him, surrender to him, give yourself to him for his good pleasure, and hold nothing back!
The third thing we learn is how?
We praise God with musical instruments. Guitar, drums, brass instruments, string instruments, organ, piano, triangle, xylophone, any and all are useful for the purpose of praise. The list of instruments in this Psalm is representative of the whole range of instruments used in worship in Israel’s history. The fights over instruments within the church in history, within this church also, have been fights over personal preference, not reverence to God. There isn’t an instrument that cannot be used to glorify God. Anything, even sand can glorify God.
If the instrument doesn’t matter, what does? The heart matters. If you are not playing an instrument in our worship service, you are singing. If you find yourself thinking, “I don’t like this. God isn’t glorified by this. This makes me angry.” You are not worshipping God. You are not. You are worshipping you. True worship, regardless of the instrument, focuses our attention on God. The singers and musicians are not performers. They are servants: they serve the congregation so that together, all of us can offer praise. Do you understand what I am saying? Sometimes people treat others in church as adversaries. “I am against them because they don’t fit my preconceived notions.” Do you understand the role of instruments of music in the church? Can you celebrate them?
Do you have gifts of musical ability but are not using them? Why not? Are you concerned by what others think? Are you concerned by what others have said? Are you worried that you aren’t good enough?
We have a lot of talented people in this congregation. We have other talented musicians and singers. Can we covenant together to encourage one another and spur one another on? Can this be a safe place to try new things, to develop musical gifts and abilities? Can we give praise to the Lord, through praising others? Thank you, Joni, for using your gifts to lead us in worship this morning!
Do not neglect your gifts! What better use than in giving praise to God? That’s why he gave them to you, use them to bless God! In private, as well as in corporate worship, praise the Lord!
We praise God with our instruments; we praise him with movement and dance, yes dance! We praise him with our voices! Everyone who has breath, praise the Lord! Don’t worry about how well you sing. If your heart is full of praise to God, sing! All our best works done for God is as filthy rags until Christ transforms them; he transforms our singing too. And, remember, most people are more worried about how they sound than how you sound. Don’t think more highly of yourself than you ought!
Beloved, remember they who and where, the why and the how of worship. Enter into praise of God! Experience true praise! Rejoice in God! Rejoice in solitude, and with God’s people. Praise God with all your abilities, with every instrument! Join in praise! Amen!