Psalm 145 Sermon: GREAT is the LORD!

Here’s my notes and audio for “Great is the LORD!” sermon based on Psalm 145, preached at Cross of Christ Fellowship in Naperville.

Psalm 145 “Great is the LORD!”
INTRO: New Year’s resolutions/goals: weight loss; finances; greater faithfulness
-Ps 145=I will worship God and rejoice in his greatness!
-As we look to a new year, may this be our resolve: I will worship God and rejoice in Him!
-This really is more important than all other goals and aspirations for the new year.
TEXT:
1a: TITLE: A Song of Praise. Of David.
       -King of Israel
-“Sweet psalmist of Israel” (2 Sam 23:1b)
-This Psalm is a song that leads us to worship God.

1. David’s Resolve to WORSHIP God (1-2)
DAVID’S RESOLVE: I will worship God!
-Determined resolve and commitment to worship and exalt God”
-I will: “extol you…bless your name…bless you…praise you…”
-Commitment to praise and worship God and rejoice in Him.
-See the ENDURING Scope: “forever and ever”
      -Not a fleeting excitement, but an eternal pursuit
OBSERVE: “my God and KING.”
-Though David was an earthly king, God is the TRUE king.
*QUESTION: Is God more important to you than everything? Are you committed to worshipping God?
APPLICATION: Let this be your resolve and commitment in 2025
      -FACT: you will worship and make much of something.
-ONLY God is truly worthy of your worship and only He can truly satisfy.
JESUS: Delivers us from estrangement of God, so that we be reconciled to God and worship Him (Eph 2:11-12)
-THEOLOGIANS: You become like what you worship! (Jere 2:5 ‘went after worthlessness and become worthless’)

2. Worshipping God for His Surpassing GREATNESS (3-7)
   QUESTION: Why should this be our resolve and commitment? Because God is exceedingly GREAT!
   -Greatness Stated (3): ³ Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.
   -God is great=He has a worth and value that exceeds the rest!
   -Right response: “greatly to be praised!”
   -Incomparable greatness: “his greatness is unsearchable”
   -No end to God’s greatness.
   -Greatness Celebrated individually and corporately (4-7)
         -Corporately (4,6a,7)
   -Commending, declaring the mighty acts and works of God
   -OT acts of Salvation: Exodus; David and Goliath
   -NT acts of salvation: Jesus’ life and ministry—see Matthew 8
   -Pouring forth the “fame of your abundant goodness”
   -God’s greatness is displayed in his goodness in Himself and toward His Creation
   -Singing of God’s righteousness: GOSPEL: God does what is right and makes us right with Himself (Rom 3:26)
   -Individually (5, 6b)
   -Personal mediation 5: (taking a truth about God and chewing over it until your heart & mind see it.)
   -Personal declaration of God’s greatness 6b: (Personal RESOLVE—I WILL declare God’s greatness!)
   ILLUSTRATION: LOTR, Fellowship of the Ring. Bilbo’s Mithril coat given to Frodo worth more than Shire
   -God is worth more than all the treasure of this world
   *QUESTION: Do you see in your heart that God truly is of more value than everything?
   -What things compete with your affections—claiming to be more beautiful/important than God?
   –DANGER: Love of the world. 1 John 2:15
   APPLICATION: Be resolved to recognize the surpassing greatness of God.
   -Rejoice in his greatness when you are alone AND on Sunday and CG
   3. Greatness of God Seen in CHARACTER OF GOD (8-9)
   Augustine’s “City of God” Roman and Greek gods compared to God of Christianity
   -The greatness of God is seen in the character of God.
   -Ps 145:8 is quotation of Ex 34:6-7
   1 LORD is gracious!  2 LORD is merciful: 3 LORD is slow to anger:
   4 LORD is abounding steadfast love; 5 LORD is good to all:; 6 LORD…his mercy is over all that he has made:
   APPLICATION: See that this is who is God! This is what He is like.
         -As you walk through painful trials, perplexities, hardships, high and lows, let this shape your thinking
   -Let this FUEL your worship of GodàPraise God because this is who God is!
   –GOSPEL: We see all this confirmed in the gospel. Titus 3:4-7

   4. The Greatness God is SEEN in His Everlasting KINGDOM OF GOD (10-13)
   A main idea in 10-13 is the KINGDOM of God.
   -Kingdom of God: ‘God’s people, in God’s place, under God’s rule’ (Goldingay)
   -Rejoicing God’s glorious kingdom (10-12)
         -Glorious and established and ruled over by God the king (145:1).
   -Everlasting kingdom (13)
   -Present in David’s day.
   -Prophesied in Daniel 2
   -Arrived in a greater fullness with Christ (Matt 4:17)
   -Wonderful worth selling all you have to be part of (Matt 13:44-46)
   -Experienced in its fulness at the return of Christ.
   APPLICATION: This world is not our home, but we belong to the kingdom of Christ.
   -Let this shape how you think of yourself as a Christian AND as an American
   -Let it FUEL your worship: Praise God for His glorious kingdom, a kingdom we get to part of!

3. The Greatness of God Displayed in His CARE (14-20)
   God is not only great—He also is caring of His people.
   -Through this we also see his greatness.
   -LORD’s care of those in need (14)
         -Personal, intimate care of His people in their struggles.
   -Look to Him this year when you are tempted or overwhelmed.
   -LORD’S caring provision (15-17)
          -SEEK His provision: financial, strength, needs.
   -LORD’S Nearness to His People (18)
         -DRAW near to God in truth
   -Saved for a RELATIONSHIP with God.
   -LORD Satisfying and Saving (19)
          -Let Him fulfill your heart’s desire
   –GOSPEL: God saves us in through faith! Rom 10:9-10
   -LORD Preserving and Judging (20)
   -GOD preserves His people.
   -Phil 1:6
   -GOD destroys the wicked
   -Destruction now and after this life in hell.
   -Escape eternal destruction by going to Christ.
4. CONCLUSION (21): RESOLVE=I will worship God!
   ²¹ My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

   CLOSE: Make this your resolve in 2025—I will worship God and rejoice in His greatness.