YOU: Connect. Grow. Serve. Go! Fall 2010 Leader Commentary Unit 1: Let Us Pray Session 4: When the Music Stops (see pp. 31-35) The Question: Why Praise God? The Point: Praise should be a vital part of my prayers and my everyday life. Background Passage: Psalm 145 Focal Passage: Psalm 145:1-2,5,8-10,13-16,17-21 This commentary is designed to help you think about the question, Why Praise God? and to drive home this one truth: Praise should be a vital part of my prayers and my everyday life. Focus on These Points Praise God Every Day (Psalm 145:1-2) The chief purpose of believers, both now and throughout the ages, is the pursuit of the glory of God. Praising and practicing the greatness of God should be the primary passion of God s people all day, every day. Perpetual praise offered to God should be the grand pursuit of all that believers do, their ultimate priority in this life, their chief business in the world to come. In every circumstance of life, believers should praise God. Psalm 145 is a summons to practice unending praise of God. In this, the last of David s psalms, we are not surprised to find that it is a powerful song of praise to God. The heading above the psalm reads a psalm of praise, the only psalm so designated. While the entire Book of Psalms is praise, this psalm, most especially, is the clearest praise of all. David saved his best for last. David begins Psalm 145 with a deliberate, determined vow to praise the Lord. This praise is a purposeful choice of David s will. Exalt means to elevate to a high place, to lift up, to elevate. David chooses to raise the name of God above all other names. This lofty adoration flows out of a personal relationship with my God (v. 1). David was the king over Israel, but God was king over David.
2 The words I will praise refer to bending the knee or giving a blessing. When applied to praising God s name, this represents all His holy character. This offering of praise is not a momentary whim, quickly offered and soon forgotten, but a fixed resolution that will be carried out forever. Praising God on earth is only an abbreviated prelude to praising God forever and ever in heaven. Worship is to be a daily lifestyle of the believer. Every day, whether in good or bad times, I will praise (v. 2) God, expressing love and devotion for Him. This is one earthly occupation that will continue forever and ever (v. 2). Praise God for His Works and Ways (Ps. 145:5,8-10,13-16) Glorious splendor and wonderful works" (v. 5) describe shining moments of awareness the speaker describes. Taken together, communication of God s graciousness had both a public and private audience. There was a telling witness that spoke to hearers and an answering witness that responded to questions. Opportunities to share require listening groups of various sizes, but more important than the audience is the readiness of the speaker and his or her enthusiasm about God. Verses 8 and 9 provide a summary of God s character. The verses are not simply the writer s reflection of God but God s statement concerning Himself. They are a frame put forth by God Himself (see Ex. 34:6-7). Evidently, the picture held a special place in David s heart. The Lord is gracious could also be translated the Lord is merciful. The Almighty God responds according to the needs of people and not to what they deserve. Without God s grace, the human race would be consumed in its own wickedness. Grace is giving us what we do not deserve; in other words grace is merciful. In fact, we need God s grace the most because we deserve it the least. God is also compassionate. Compassion cares. Someone without compassion has a don t care attitude. Lack of compassion ignores situations of need. But God cares deeply about His creation. God also is slow to anger (v. 8). This does not mean God is incapable of anger. Because God loves, He is angry at unrighteousness. His anger, however, is not a hair trigger anger that quickly brings vengeance. God is patient with sinners to a point. God s character is faithful love. His love is steadfast and overflows from who He is. God also is good. Because God is good, He wants our best. And His goodness extends to all to everyone. Everybody is a somebody to God.
3 Finally the psalmist says that God s compassion is woven into the very fabric of His creation. All He did in creating everything was driven by His compassion, not His vengeance. At the very heart of the universe is a heart that beats with compassion. God demonstrated the greatest of sacrifices to bring us to Himself. There is only one word to describe such grace amazing. God s grace should not only be told. It should be shouted! You too should join the choir of praise to tell of His grace. Your kingdom (v. 13) is in contrast to the various kingdoms of the world. Other kingdoms have a fading quality. They come and they go; are here today and gone tomorrow. God s kingdom will never go. It is here today and will also be here tomorrow; it is an everlasting kingdom. God s rule never goes out of style. His authority is for all generations in that it guides generations in their moments of life. Furthermore, God s rule will have a responsive audience from beginning to end. God s rule is not confined to heaven; it also operates on earth. Kingdom citizens work involves reaching people, not occupying territory. The kingdom soldiers march to win converts, not to destroy people. Little Bo Peep evangelism Leave them alone and let them come home. will not do when eternity is at stake. God s people have a kingdom mandate. They are to go and tell of His rule! Praise God for His Help (Psalm 145:17-21) These verses focus on believers. God provides for all people, but His actions are for those who have placed their faith in Him. They are those who call out to Him (v. 18), who fear Him (v. 19), and who love Him (v. 20). God s actions in verses 17-21 show a God of love who pays special attention to the needs of His children who in turn talk to others of His love and loving actions. The description The Lord is righteous (v. 17) has the idea of God always doing the right thing, in the right way, with the right motive. His acts of righteousness govern all His ways. All God does, He does right. He is also gracious, meaning kind and loving to the undeserving. God s compassion finds expression in everything He does. What appears as almost contradictory righteousness and graciousness are perfectly blended by God in dealing with His children. We may view righteousness without grace as harsh. And we may view grace without righteousness as unfair. Put together, with God the right thing is done in the loving way and the loving thing is done in the right way. David s words The Lord is near (v. 18) does not mean that God is within hearing distance of one s voice. God s nearness refers to His closeness, as friends are close, and therefore ready to help. His nearness shows His
4 readiness to respond to all who call out to Him. To His children, God is only a plea away. Prayer is inviting God into our situations, realizing our weaknesses and His strength. God hears all who call with integrity. People of such integrity are people of genuine faith. Those who fear God (v. 19) are those with a healthy respect for God. The term fear carries with it the attitude of reverence and could be understood as a worship posture. The desires listed in the first half of verse 19 are identified in the second half as cries for help. God hears these cries, moves into action, and saves. Here is a rescue operation that leaves the rescued with a song of wonder. The believer s cry for help has such power. When David said that God guards (v. 20) he meant God keeps, watches over, and stays with. Certainly he would have the image of a shepherd standing guard over his sheep. We may not be able to see God, but we are never out of His sight. His protective care is ever present and never absent. This guardian protection is available to all those who love Him. A believer can fear the Lord and at the same time love the Lord. Sometimes a believer s obedience is based on fear, while at other times, it is based on love. Both are valid responses of obedience. The contrast in verse 20 is not love and fear but between those lovers of God and the wicked. God protects His own, but the wicked He destroys. The wicked are those who do wrong and follow their own course of action instead of seeking God s will. The path they follow leads to destruction. This note of wickedness that leads to destruction is the only negative action of God in the psalm. God s involvement with people does not mean ignoring disobedience. There are consequences when humans act wickedly. The All in verse 20 leaves no escape clause, no neutral ground. Here are two distinct lifestyles with no middle ground. Here is a life choice that makes an eternal difference. Sitting on the fence is not an option. The end of the psalm is as upbeat as the beginning and middle. David recommitted his whole being in a declaration of praising the Lord. Praise is always a matter of choice and not circumstance. David s individual song is also a summons for others to join him. His last word is a personal word and an appeal for others to sing with him. Praising the Lord is contagious. It begins with one but quickly spreads to others. The statement let every living thing (v. 21) involves an enthusiastic sweep of all creation. However, one cannot miss the reference to the living as opposed to the dead. Dead things don t sing. Perhaps a good test of life is the presence of a praise song. It must be said that the redeemed of the Lord do not sing because they can sing; they sing because they have a song. Praise does not give life, but it shows that life is present.
5 Praise has a direction His holy name. The focus of praise is on God and in this psalm, God as ruling King. This phrase means like no other. God is not just one among many nor is He another aspect of the creation. He is Creator and Ruler. There is no other like Him. Forever and ever (v. 21) sees no end. Everything in this life has an end. Sooner or later, everything in this life will run out of intensity. Praise, on the other hand, has a forever quality. The life that begins praising God will never cease praising God. God will always have praises whether on earth or in heaven. That which began on earth gains even greater intensity in heaven. Go tell. Praise the Lord! What David has declared in this psalm must be our daily, personal experience. Rising up from within our souls must be an anthem of perpetual praise to God. We must be always lifting our voices in magnifying the name of the Lord. God is so worthy of our praise that we should never cease extolling His name. He is great and, therefore, greatly to be praised. His sovereignty is unsearchable, far beyond our human comprehension. His incomparable glory produces wonder and astonishment that overwhelm us. His mighty deeds induce within us awe-filled worship that must be offered up to God, forever. Parts of this commentary are an adaptation of the Holman New Testament Commentary, Volume 12, edited by Max Anders, 2006 by Broadman & Holman Publishers. Used by permission.