Summary: This sermon looks at the desire that God has for His church to praise Him

“Praise the Lord” (part 1)

Psa 150

- One of the things that God desires from us, His church, is to Praise Him

- To praise God is to acknowledge the glories of His excellent person

- Praising God is somewhat different from thanksgiving, which describes what God has done rather than what He is.

- When we sing, we are expressing ourselves to God for WHO HE IS!

- This morning, I wonder as we sang, does God look at us as a body that really acknowledges His glory

- Or as a church that goes through the motion because that’s what we are supposed to do

- I want us to look at today some facts about praise and hopefully give each of us a better understanding of Praising the Lord.

- Read Psa 150 / Pray

TRANS: The first thing I want us to see about praise is

1. God alone is worthy of our praise

- Psa 18:3, “I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies”

- God is worthy of our praise because of Who He is

- Rev 5:12, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain…”

- He was slain for you and me and is worthy of praise

- He is the almighty creator…He is the almighty King…He is our mighty fortress and deliverer

- Look at Psa 18:1-2

- David sang this song on the day the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul

- But we should praise Him, not just in time of deliverance, but all the time in our lives

- Psa 113:3, “From the rising of the sun to its going down, The Lord’s name is to be praised”

TRANS: Not only is God alone worthy of our praise but…

2. It is His will for us to Praise Him

- Psa 50:23, “Whoever offers praise glorifies me…”

- When we praise Him we are also glorifying Him

- We were created by God and for God

- Isa 43:21, “This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise.”

- Look at Jer 13:11

- We were made for His pleasure and it is His will for us to praise Him

TRANS: It is not only His will for us to praise Him but…

3. This praise should be continuous and also public

- Psa 34:1, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

- Our praise is to be continuous and we should not be afraid to speak it or show it

- Friend of mine named Barney “Barnett”

- He shouldn’t do that out in public like that because it’s not proper

- Psa 22:25, “My praise shall be of You in the great congregation…

- Psa 35:18b, “I will praise You among many people”

- Brethren, we have a hard time praising in the congregation so how we goin to praise him in the streets?

- We should…but many don’t in fear of what others might think

- Luke 12:8-9 Jesus says “…whoever confesses Me before men will also be confessed before the Angels but whoever denies Me before men will be denied before the Angels of God.”

- Our praise should be continuous and we should not be afraid in the congregation or among many people

- Praise to God is a weapon of warfare

- When I am down in the valley…I can Praise Him to the top

- When my circustances seem all wrong and the outlook seems bad…I can praise Him to the top

- When everything that can go wrong goes wrong…I can praise Him to the top

- God desires us to praise Him and not be afraid to say “Praise the Lord

CONCLUSION

- God desires our praise…He created us…just our creation alone is a Praise to God

- God alone is worthy of our praise…because of who He is

- God’s will is for His people to praise Him

- And this praise should be continuous and made public

- Bible tells us that God inhabits the praises of His people

- God comes and sits with, fellowships with, surrounds and consumes the praises of His people

- I want us to be able to PRAISE THE LORD without reservation, or fear

- With the sound of the trumpet and the lute and harp

- With stringed instruments and flutes and cymbals

- With everything that is within us, and everything that has breathe praise the Lord

- Next week we will continue with part 2 Praise the Lord and see what else God’s word will tell us about Praising the Lord

- Pray