Introduction: “This is a song of praise for God’s spiritual blessings to His people and His kind providence over all the earth.” (JFB)
1. Praise of God in His temple courts – Divine Grace (vs.1-4)
How are we to praise God? vs.1
For what are we to praise God? vs.2-4
2. Praise of God in His vast dominion – Divine Providence (vs.5-13):
as our __________________________________ vs.5
for His __________________________________ vs.6-8
as our __________________________________ vs. 9-10
for His __________________________________ vs. 11-13
Application:
What can you praise God for in your life?
Ver. 1. “Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion. The believer sometimes seems to want words to exalt God, and stops, as it were, in the middle; his thoughts want words. Thus praise waits, or is silent for God; it is silent to other things, and it waits to be employed about him. The soul is often put to a nonplus in crying up the grace of God, and wants words to express its greatness; yea, to answer the elevation of the thoughts; the heart indites a song of praise, but it cannot tune it. The psalmist is stopped, as it were, through admiration (which is silentium intellectus), for when the mind can rise no higher, it falls admiringly; hence some say, God is most exalted with fewest words.” Alexander Carmichael.
Ver. 2. “O thou that hearest prayer, etc. This is one of his titles of honour, he is a God that hears prayer; and it is as truly ascribed to him as mercy or justice. He hears all prayer, therefore, unto thee shall all flesh come. He never rejects any that deserves the name of prayer, how weak, how unworthy soever the petitioner be. All flesh! And will he (may faith say) reject mine only? Ro 10:12, “He is rich unto all that call upon him;” Ps 86:5, ‘Thou art plenteous in mercy to all that call upon thee;’ Hebrews 11:6, ‘A rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ This must be believed as certainly as we believe that God is. As sure as God is the true God, so sure is it that none who sought him diligently departed from him without a reward. He rewards all seekers, . . . And if all, why not me? You may as well doubt that he is God, as doubt that he will not reward, not hear prayer; so James 1:5, ‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.’” David Clarkson.
Magnify! 