TOPIC: The greatest reason for Praise

TEXT: Psalm 117:2; Psalm 135:13

INTRODUCTION: The book of psalms is full of reasons why God needs to be praised. Psalm 135 gives a birds eye-view of some of the reasons. The first is that the only true God chose to save Israel. It is also the most important reason. Israel is a connotation for the restored people of God. The psalmist though having some definite knowledge was perplexed as he considered why God was so interested in this activity of restoration. “What is man that you are mindful of him and the son of man that you should visit him” The reason is that man was made in the image of God and this image that was marred, had to be restored for God to achieve His purpose of creating man. Nothing can thwart the purposes of God. God needed man to partner with to operate in the physical realm of the earth, for His glory must be over all the earth. This was the motivating factor that made God do what needed to be done in Genesis 3:21. He covered Adam and Eve with the blood of the lamb as a sign of future restoration. This is the restoration we celebrate on the occasion of resurrection. As we celebrate, may we know Him and the power of the resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering and be made conformable unto His death (Philp.3:10).

  1. The goodness of God: It is natural to respond to goodness. God responded to the world He created when He said it was good. Goodness is a nature of God and all He created was good. The reaction of people therefore to the goodness of God is encapsulated in psalm 100:1 when it says make a joyful noise. It is making a noise a shout to God because of His goodness. It is two words praise Yahweh and sometimes it is unintelligible verbal outpouring due to the overwhelming nature of the goodness of God. It is also boasting in God. David said I will make my boast in the Lord (Ps.34:1)- to shine forth what God has done that others may know. God’s goodness can be seen in His loyal love to His people and His faithfulness to whatever He says. The Lord is “true,” i.e., 100 percent loyal, reliable, truthful, and trustworthy, He is a faithful God. He promised to restored and He kept His promise. David prophesied about the time God would build up Zion and appearing in glory (Ps.102 18-21). This is that day that we celebrate the goodness of God.
  2. The potency of God: God is not impotent like the idols who have eyes that cannot see, ears that do not hear or mouths that cannot speak. God is always working and doing wonderful things. He not only chose us in Christ, He made us His inheritance and peculiar treasure. As a result, He is sovereign power is used to make all things work together for our good always. He is above all gods and does whatever He pleases in heaven, on earth, in the seas and in the deep. He is in total control of nature, rain, wind, lightning. He would do whatever is necessary to ensure our salvation and deliverance. He demonstrated this in Egypt and destroyed so many kings and nations on behalf of His people. He did not stop until He gave them the Promised Land. The doings of God are what gave Him His names and what He does endures forever as His name (Ps 135:13). He that promised to salvage His image, has done as He promised, and this is what we celebrate on the resurrection of Christ. Praise to His name.

3. The Presence of God: Without me ye can do nothing. It is emphatic that the design of man is such that we need the spirt of God to accomplish the purposes of God. This is why God had to come in the cool of the day to fellowship. Infirmities came into man’s life as a result of the fall, but God provided His Spirit to help us with these( And the spirit helpeth our infirmities (Rom8:25-27). The Spirit helps us to praise too, as the dead , those without the spirit, cannot praise God. The bible declares that God inhabits the praises of His people (Ps.22:3). The ultimate purpose of God is to be enthroned over the whole creation. This is the major and greatest reason for the resurrection. This was why Christ died. The grain of wheat fell to the ground and died and much fruit is formed by the Holy Spirt that fills as many as would believe in the death, burial and the resurrection of Christ. The Holy Spirit released on the day of Pentecost is the fulfilment of that aspiration of God, for His glory to be over all the earth. It is the presence of God in His people. The angels in heaven were baffled by this wisdom of God which David, in knowledge, whispered by prophesy in Psalm 8:4. Angels sang songs about it. (Rev 5:8-14). Praise, the attitude of joyful proclamation of the works and doings of God brings the presence of God and this is the greatest reason why all must engage in it. The presence has the fullness of joy and there are eternal pleasure to be derived. This is the essence of eternal life. We have the deposit in each and every one and is the guarantee of the life to come. We increase in it from day to day, until He is fully formed in us. It is this presence that assures us of the dominion in the kingdom God had given to us as joint heirs with His son.