For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:18).
It's hard to believe but here we are nearing the end of January! Many things can happen in just a few short weeks! It is good to know that whatever things affect our lives, God is still God. He is in charge, maintains control, and has all authority and power. This lesson from King David reminds us that we must never lose sight of God. It is thought that this particular song (Psalm) was used three times a day by the children of Israel, as a way to acknowledge the heavenly kingdom to come. Learning to praise God is a challenge for many. There are infinite reasons to give Him glory, but it is hard to know where to begin.
I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.
Extol: to praise enthusiastically. Often, what we call praise in our modern day can easily become a routine we endure. David is pledging to praise the Lord with effort and energy, in other words, to fully engage. Secondly, he is vowing to continue to praise the Lord not only here in this life but in the one to come. Heaven is full of the praise of God. In Heaven, all created beings, angels, and saints living in the presence of God almighty are passionately praising their Creator. Isaiah chapter six says,
1 “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
You can’t truly know Him and not be overwhelmed by His greatness and power. If you have encountered God, your life and your conversation will be forever changed. Again, a form and a fashion will not make a difference, but a genuine “born again” experience will cause the praises of God to flow from our hearts in sincerity. God is right, good, honest, faultless, and powerful. No one is like Him. Begin to praise by surrendering your life to God and inviting Him to have His way in your life. Ask the Lord to open your eyes so that you can recognize His presence in the world around you and feel His Spirit within you. Look at the words King David used: extol, bless, praise, speak, talk, and make known. But notice even more the personal descriptor “MY God.” He also submits to God’s authority by saying, “O King”. Notice how often David says, “I will.” Instead of allowing life’s business to take up all of his time, David is committing to putting the most important thing first.
How personal is God to you? Are you committed to recognizing His goodness, faithful, and loving kindness in your life? Much greater than the “repeat after me” culture of praise, telling of what you have personally experienced in your relationship with God is praise that increases our faith and encourages others around us to seek the Lord for themselves. How big is the God you serve? Your story may just be the story to encourage the next generation to seek the righteousness of God. If you are active in a church, the real stories of others should encourage you. There is no generation where the goodness of God cannot be shared. God desires to be known, and He uses us to make Him known to others.
Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.
God’s kingdom is not subject to the evil and maliciousness of the world. Christ is the King that Daniel saw in a vision, pictured as a stone cut without hands, which destroyed all the other kingdoms of the world. His is the final kingdom. Christ’s rule will never end. His authority is with grace, His righteousness is with compassion, His generosity is without partiality. Our King deserves all praise and honor.
The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down. The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.
Have you been redeemed? Our King deserves our praise because He has rescued us from the enemy and from ourselves. If we humble ourselves and receive His forgiveness, He will raise us up. He supplies every need. He hears us when we pray, He meets our needs, and supplies our wants. Luke 12 says, Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.
There is no fault to be found in Him. How do you define holy? We are so far removed from what it means, that it is hard to relate to it. To be holy is to be fully dedicated to a sacred purpose. Without flaw, without exception, our Lord Jesus dedicated Himself to do whatever it takes to accomplish our salvation and our restoration to God.
The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
It can feel like God is a million miles away from us, but feelings lie. Call out to God, and know, I mean KNOW, that God hears you. To call on Him in truth means without deception. To fear God, is even more than to respect Him, it is to reverently choose to obey Him. God knows what you desire, He knows the unspoken cries of your heart, and He will save you. It is an incredible thing that happens when God replaces our desires with His, and we realize that He is able to do far more than we ever imagined.
The Lord preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.
The scriptures have much to say about the end of the wicked. None of it is pleasant. God preserves those that love Him, He keeps them in safety. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21). God will keep us from falling prey to Satan’s tricks.
My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.
Isn’t it interesting that King David, 3000 years ago, penned words that are so relevant to us today? Many scholars think this song (Psalm 145) is the last one written by King David. What a testament to the righteousness of God! We serve a righteous King that is full of truth and mercy. God is faithful, without any shadow of turning. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever!
Refocus, reset, and renew your heart, mind, and priorities. Stop looking at what’s going on around you, the seemingly impossible, and the things you really have no control over at all. Whether it is politics, the weather, the bills, or whatever it is that distracts you - put it in its rightful place. Circle back around through your new year frustrations, blessings, and fears, and remind yourself of all that God is and all that He has always been. He wants you to know Him. When you know Him, you can’t help but praise Him! He is the creator and sustainer of all things. He is the Lord, and there is none else.
Thank you for studying with us! God bless!