Psalm 146 – HALLELUJAH!
I am a fan of the Psalms. The Psalms speak to me where I live. The Psalms help me to learn, to grow, and to know God better.
There are many themes in the Psalms. We find Christ often. We find tributes to God’s Word, to trust, to Godly living, and numerous other things.
One of the greatest themes in the Psalms is that of praise, worship and adoration.
The last five Psalms (146-150) are known as the “Hallelujah Psalms”. They are called this because they begin and end with the word “Hallelujah”. In the King James Version of scriptures those words are translated “Praise ye the Lord”. Because they begin and end with the Hebrew word “Hallelujah”, they are called the “Hallelujah” psalms.
One of the purposes of a sermon is to give reminders. Although we many “know” something in our head, having been taught it many times, we often need reminders for our hearts. Our hearts need to be reminded to practice the truth that we have learned. Psalm 146, the first of the Hallelujah Psalms, reminds us to praise the Lord!
THE INVITATION TO PRAISE – Vs. 1
We’ve all received invitations to various events. This invitation is one of the greatest. It is to praise the Lord. This invitation calls me:
To turn my thoughts from myself to my Savior.
To look from the daily grind to God.
To stop whining and start worshiping.
To turn my eyes away from creation on to the Creator. See Revelation 4:11
THE ENDURANCE OF PRAISE – Vs. 2
There is nothing wrong with holy resolve. In Psalms we often find the writer saying, “I will”. The psalmist knows what is right and says, “I will do it!” Modern Christians can certainly use more of this type of holy resolve. The psalmist sys “While I live will I praise the Lord.” That means my praise is to continue through this life. Psalm 5:3, Psalm 145:21, Psalm 100:4, Psalm 113:3
In this verse the psalmist also says, “I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.” I will live this life for an unspecified period of time, but as a Christian, my being will continue in Heaven for all eternity.
Therefore this life is only “choir practice” for the eternal praise that I will give around the throne of God.
THE ENEMY OF PRAISE – Vss. 3-4
One of the enemies of praise is trust in man. When I trust man I am worshiping man and not God! I can tell that I am trusting man:
1. When I see an individual as a solution to my problems.
2. When I talk more about man than I do about God.
3. When I am more concerned about what man things than I am about what God thinks. Proverbs 29:25, John 5:44
THE QUALIFICATION OF PRAISE – Vs. 5
The person who can praise is the man whose help is the God of Jacob, and whose hope is in the Lord his God.
THE REASONS FOR PRAISE – Vss. 6-10
1. God is Creator – Vs. 6
2. God is the Truth – Vs. 6
3. God is Faithful – Vss. 7-9
4. God is King – Vs. 10