Make His Praise Glorious

 Temple Baptist Church - 8-13-2023

Psalm 66

 

Introduction:

 

A.  I love the way that this Psalm, along with many others, begins and ends with the explanation in the middle verses.  The bible is always self-explanatory. 

 

B.  The Psalm was written for the chief Musician to play and to be sung in an atmosphere of worship. 

 

Psalms 66:1-2  To the chief Musician, A Song or Psalm. Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands:  (2)  Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.

 

C.  The author of the Psalm is not named for a reason.  Giving God praise is to be an individual act of all His people.  I find it disturbing that so many of God’s people have a problem praising the Lord.  I am not talking about running the isles or hanging from a chandelier, I am talking about having little or no emotion during a worship service.  Example**  I am going to give you an example but not a name so that you will see what I am talking about this morning.

 

D.  I said all that to say this, praise of God is a requirement for ALL of us and ALL of us are different in how we act and react.  One enemy of praise is the thinking that all that we have or receive is from our personal efforts instead of gifts from God.

 

James 1:17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

 

John 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

 

E.  Verses 1-2.  Our right perspective will make for our praise of God! 

 

1.  The Psalmist made a joyful noise.  Psalms 100:1  A Psalm of praise. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

 

2.  The Psalmist sang songs that honoured God.  Psalms 100:2  Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

 

3.  The Psalmist praised God with glorious praise based upon thankfulness.  Psalms 100:4  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

 

F.  Let us look at the middle verses and find the answer to my question.  What caused the Psalmist to give God such praise?

 

1.  Verses 1-7 – Remembrance.  The praise of the psalmist for things the Lord had done in the past.  It is a good thing to ponder the past victories that only God could have performed. 

 

a)  Verse 3.  God’s power over enemies.  When our enemies rise up, the Lord will raise a standard against them.  Isaiah 59:19  So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.

 

b)  Verse 6.  God’s power in deliverance.  Psalms 106:8-11  Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.  (9)  He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.  (10)  And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.  (11)  And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left.

 

c)  The psalmist cited the crossing of the Red Sea.  One of the greatest and most noted of all miracles.  Look back and see the great victories the Lord has given you.

 

2.  Verses 8-12 – Reflection.  The praise of the psalmist for the things that God was now doing.

 

a)  Verse 9.  “He holdeth our soul in life!”  Hebrews 10:39  But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

 

b)  Verse 9.  “Suffereth not our feet to be moved!”  Isaiah 43:2  When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

 

c)  Verses 10-12.  “proved … tried us”  “broughtest us out into a wealthy place”  Deuteronomy 8:16  Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;

 

3.  Verses 13-20 – Resolve. 

 

G.  Now that we remember God’s blessings in the past and reflect on His goodness in the “now” of our lives,  Let us look at the results of Resolve found in the later verses.

 

1.  A Resolve To be Faithful in Our Attendance.  “I will go into thy house.”

 

2.  A Resolve to be Faithful in Sacrifice.  “with burnt offerings”

 

3.  A Resolve to be Faithful in Promise.  “I will pay thee my vows, Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.: 

 

4.  A Resolve to be Faithful in Testimony.  What a blessing to hear what things God does for others.  I am not jealous of their blessing; I am blessed by them!

 

5.  A Resolve to be Faithful in Worship.  “I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue.”

 

6.  A Resolve to be Faithful in Holiness.  “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: 

 

7.  A Resolve to be Faithful in Prayer.  “But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.”