A Kingdom Established: "The Praises of God's People"

A Kingdom Established: “The Praises of God’s People”  

Psalm 1  

“Worship”- knowing, enjoying and declaring the worth of God.

“Praise” - appreciation, thanksgiving and confession of worth.

 I. Delight in God’s Word. (Psalm 1)

1. Let God have the first and last word of the day.

Psalm 63:6 - “When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches.”

Psalm 42:8 - “The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime; And His song will be with me in the night, A prayer to the God of my life.”

2. Saturate the day with God’s word.

Psalm 119:11 - “Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.”  

Colossians 3:16 - “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

Psalm 119:103 - “How sweet are Your words to my taste… sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

John 5:39 - “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these (Scriptures) that testify about Me.”

John 15:11 - “Jesus said, These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”

II. Celebrate God’s Name.

Psalm 95:2 - “Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.”

Ben Patterson - “Gratitude and joy are organs of perception. We don’t see to give thanks and rejoice; we give thanks and rejoice to see.”  

John 15:11 - “Jesus said, "These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”

Luke 10:21 - “At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, "I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth…”

 1. Sing as a way of life. 

Psalm 63:5 - “My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness…my mouth offers praises with joyful lips.”

Psalm 35:28 - “…my tongue shall declare Your righteousness And Your praise all day long.”

Psalm 71:6 - “…My praise is continually of You.”

Psalm 71:14 - “But as for me, I will hope continually, And will praise You yet more and more.”

2. Sing to move the affections.

John Piper - God is glorified in his people by the way we experience him, not merely by the way we think about him… the devil thinks more true thoughts about God in one day than a saint does in a lifetime, and God is not honored by it.

Isaiah 51:11 - “So the ransomed of the Lord will return and come with joyful shouting to Zion, And everlasting joy will be on their heads…”  

Philippians 4:4 - “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!”  

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  

Reasons for a life of praise:

1. Fulfills our primary purpose.

Luke 19:40 - “Jesus said, ‘If these people become silent, the stones will cry out!’”

2. Serves as a testimony.

Acts 16:25 - ^“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.”

3. Changes our attitude, affections and actions.

Jonathan Edwards -The duty of singing praises to God seems to be appointed wholly to excite and express religious affections…such is our nature and frame…these things (singing & praise) have a tendency to move our affections.

Mark 14:26 - “After singing a hymn, Jesus and His disciples went out to the Mount of Olives.”

 Family Faith Sheet For Family and Friends This week

1. What is the relationship between delighting in God’s Word and delighting in God Himself?

2. Why do you think Psalm 1, the first Psalm, focuses on “delight” in God’s Word?

3. The psalmist talked about attending worship with praise and thanksgiving already in our hearts. What do you do when we don’t “feel” like praising God?

4. What do people in our culture tend to think about worship?

5. How can our daily worship be a witness to non-believers?