Psalm 145. If you have the church Bible, it's 631, page 631.
So this is the psalm that Bryce is going to be preaching to us in just a second.
So I'll read the psalm for us, and then I'll pray for you, Bryce, and you can take over.
Psalm 145.
It's a psalm of praise of David.
I will exalt you, my God the King. I will praise your name forever and ever.
Every day I will praise you and extol your name forever and ever.
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise. His greatness no one can fathom.
One generation commends your works to another. They tell of your mighty acts.
They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
They tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds.
They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and rich in love.
The Lord is good to all. He has compassion on all he has made.
All your works praise you, Lord. Your faithful people extol you.
They tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might,
so that all people may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations.
The Lord is trustworthy in all his promises and faithful in all he does.
The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.
You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does.
The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
He fulfills the desires of those who fear him.
He hears their cry and saves them.
The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.
My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.
Let every creature praise his holy name forever and ever.
Father God, we thank you for your servant Bryce.
We pray for him, that you would fill him with your Holy Spirit,
and that the words that come out of his mouth are words ordained by you to teach us.
We pray for the rest of us sitting under his preaching,
that we would listen well, and that we would take on board
what you're trying to say to us this morning.
Thank you for your word.
Please speak to us in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Thanks, Bryce.
Thank you, Connor.
And thank you for having me here this morning.
What a privilege to come and worship with you.
And thank you for the choices of those songs and for the musicians.
Those fit precisely with what we're going to talk about in Psalm 145.
So you might keep your Bibles open there.
Psalm 145 is the text we'll be looking at this morning.
Just to say that it's so good to be with you.
Karigaline, we know, is our older sister.
That's really the reality.
I bring love and greetings from Douglas Baptist,
and we're so thankful for the way that you have faithfully pressed on.
You have a reputation, a good one.
I think of the church in Thessalonica, where Paul says,
we know about your work of faith.
We know about your labor that's driven by your love.
We have heard about your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
And we can say these words about Karigaline Baptist.
We're very thankful for you.
Keep pressing on.
So let me pray and ask God for help as we look at Psalm 145.
Father, we thank you as well that you say to the Thessalonians
that the gospel came not only with words,
but also in power and in the Holy Spirit
and with deep conviction.
That's what we're asking for today.
Let your words come as words,
but in power,
in the Spirit,
with real conviction.
To me,
to all of us,
we plead with you.
Amen.
This summer,
I was traveling in North America,
doing an awful lot of driving.
And my son Jonathan came for a major leg of the driving bit
that left behind the girls.
And Jonathan and I went on this kind of tour
of northeastern Canada and the United States.
And we were driving from Washington, D.C. area
up to the Toronto airport.
And as we were coming up,
Jonathan says,
Dad, can we stop at Niagara Falls?
Like, I know you took me there when I was a smallie,
but now Jonathan's nearly 16.
And he was like,
I'd like to see it kind of where I could appreciate it.
So we were driving right through Niagara,
right past.
And so I said,
sure,
we'll stop.
So we stopped.
And while we were there,
it's just this incredible scene
of so much water
rushing over the falls.
While we were there,
we saw,
Jonathan said,
what's all those people down there?
And they were all wearing these rain ponchos
and they were going up these stairs
next to the Horseshoe Falls.
And I found out afterwards
that what it is,
it's a tour called
Journey Behind the Falls.
And you can actually go right behind the waterfall
and you can actually look out
some kind of holes in the caves
and see the water gushing down
and there's these rails.
Can you imagine if you were on that tour?
And if you were,
while you were on the tour,
you start to lean over the rail
and do this.
And the tour guide says,
you hold it,
what are you doing?
That's very dangerous.
You can't be leaning over rails.
What are you trying to do?
And you're like,
well,
I'm trying to measure
how much water
is coming over the Niagara Falls.
And of course,
your guide would say,
that's ridiculous.
A 300 mil cup
and you're trying to measure
the amount of water
over the falls.
Well,
that is what
Psalm 145
is like
for David.
He's completely
overwhelmed.
By the way,
if the flow is quite heavy
over the,
depends on
the conditions,
but Niagara Falls
in one second,
apparently,
three million
liters
of water
in one second.
Can you imagine
trying to fit
three million
apple juice boxes
in your cupboard
or inside
in your fridge?
Can you picture that?
That comes to
roughly
168 million
liters
per minute,
240 trillion
liters
per day.
You cannot
measure that
with 300 mil cups.
And David
is trying to measure
the greatness
of God
and he's got
the same quandary.
That's what's going on
in Psalm 145.
He's overwhelmed.
Think of that
kind of water
coming down
inside in your shower.
Your drain
would be
immediately
overwhelmed.
David
is
wowed
by
God.
And that's
what's coming
out in this
Psalm.
Verse
21 in this
Psalm
is absolutely
key.
It's the last
verse of the
Psalm and it
says these
words.
My mouth
will
speak
in praise
of the Lord.
Let every
creature
praise his
holy name
forever
and ever.
Why that's
special is that
Psalm 145
is the last
Psalm in
book 5 of
the five books
of the Psalms.
And if we were
reading it in
Hebrew we would
see that this
is a special
kind of separate
benediction
that comes at
the end of the
five books
of the Psalms.
And David
says my
mouth
will
speak.
Some of you
may have heard
there's a quote
that flies
around out
there that
it says
preach the
gospel at
all times
use words
if necessary.
And it kind
of sounds
quite noble
that you
would preach
the gospel
with your
life without
using words.
And most
certainly our
lives should
preach the
gospel.
But can we
say biblically
that's faulty.
We should say
preach the
gospel at
all times
words will be
absolutely
necessary if
you're to
preach the
gospel.
And David
wants to
use words.
My mouth
will
speak.
Throughout
the Psalms
we have
those many
many different
examples of
how the
mouth must
be used.
With singing
lips my
mouth will
praise you.
Psalm 62.
We could go
on and on
through the
Psalms.
My mouth
must be
involved
in praise.
David
must open
his mouth
and literally
speak.
of the
magnificence
of God.
So what
about us?
Are we
wowed and
overwhelmed
enough by
God that
we've got
to open
our mouths
and speak?
When something
has captured
your attention
and fascinated
you, you
must speak
about it,
right?
This is
David in
Psalm 145.
Now the
Psalms are
the songbook
that Jesus
sang from.
There's this
important
perspective that
emerges.
In the
Psalms,
the central
figure in
the Psalms
on first
reading seems
to be
David.
God has
made a
covenant
with David
and God
has promised
that there
will be
a son of
David who
will rule
on his
throne
forever and
ever.
But as
you start
to work
your way
through the
books of
the Psalms,
you start
to realize
David's not
the central
figure.
The central
figure is
the promised
son of
David,
the king
who will
reign forever
and ever,
king of
all kings,
our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Jesus says
in Luke 24,
the Psalms
must be
fulfilled that
were written
about me.
When we
read the
Psalms,
we need
to see
Jesus.
Now,
I haven't
gone and
counted them
up myself,
but roughly
only around
10-ish
percent of
the Psalms
are completely
celebration
from one
end of
the Psalm
to the
other.
Psalm 145
is one
of those
Psalms.
That tells
us something
about our
songs,
right?
Many of
the Psalms,
how it is,
is that they
work their
way to
praise through
the realities,
the difficulties,
the pains,
the blessings
of life.
I'm working
my way to
praise through
the real
life things.
but then
we have
some of
these
Psalms,
like Psalm
145,
that are
complete
praise all
the way
through.
David,
it's almost
like when he
gets to this
Psalm,
he's like,
I'm so
overwhelmed by
my God,
I'm going
to actually
do a search
on thesaurus.com
and find as
many words
as I can
to describe
the greatness
of God.
And so,
he says,
I will
exalt,
I will
praise,
I will
extol,
I will
commend,
I will
tell,
I will
speak,
I will
proclaim,
I will
meditate,
I will
celebrate,
I will
sing.
He's
wowed.
There's
just enough,
there's not
enough words,
but what words
I can come
up with,
I am going
to let
my mouth
speak them
about the
greatness
of God.
Many
things he
has to
say about
God in
this Psalm.
My God
is king,
he is
great,
he is
mighty,
he is
majestic,
he is
splendorous,
he does
great works
and marvelous
deeds,
he is
abundant
in goodness,
he is
righteous,
gracious,
compassionate,
forgiving,
slow to
anger,
abounding in
love,
he rules
as king,
he is
everlasting,
always faithful,
always trustworthy,
caring for the
lowly,
providing all that
I have,
providing for all
of his creation,
he's near,
he hears,
he satisfies,
he rescues,
he saves
sinners,
he protects
us,
and he
justly
destroys
the wicked.
And my
mouth
must speak
in praise
of the
Lord,
praise his
holy name
forever
and ever.
In a
sense,
you know
what a
cornucopia
is?
You know
those little
horns that
they put
produce in
and they
overflow
the horn,
the little
basket horns
that they put
on your
table?
And they
take little
pictures of
them?
Is this
idea of
an overflowing
abundance
that comes.
Often they're
used at
times when
we would
celebrate
a season
of harvest
Thanksgiving.
You'd find
a cornucopia.
This
psalm is
a cornucopia
of praise,
overflowing
with God's
majesty.
Now
there's a few
little features
about this
psalm that
we should
note.
First of
all,
as I've
mentioned,
it's the
last psalm
of book
five in
the psalms.
So there's
five books
in the psalms
and book
five is
really the
response of
restored sinners,
those who've
been brought
back from
exile and
have been
forgiven and
redeemed by
love.
And during
the exile
psalms,
which come
in book
four,
David's
voice goes
mostly silent.
But then
David's voice
starts to
come back
in,
in book
five,
in a
big way.
And finishes
off this
special psalm
with this
special
benediction.
So this
is the
final psalm
that David
is noted
as writing
in the
psalm book.
So that
becomes very
special psalm
to the
Hebrew people.
They often
would practice
quoting this
every day,
this one
song,
because it's
very special
to them.
Also,
just to note,
it was almost
certainly this
psalm was
written by
David towards
the end
of his
life.
It appears
that he
was an
aging or
aged man
as he
writes the
words of
this psalm.
Then,
very
interestingly,
which,
unfortunately,
English,
we miss
completely about
this psalm,
but if we
were Hebrews
who could
read the
Hebrew language,
we would
see something
going on
here.
The whole
psalm,
down to
verse 20,
before you
get this
final benediction,
is an
alphabetical
acrostic,
and it
goes right
through the
Hebrew
alphabet,
22 letters
of the
Hebrew
alphabet.
So it's
a bit like
when we
sometimes do,
have you
ever done
an acrostic
Mother's Day
card?
Any of you
mothers ever
got one of
those kind
of acrostic
cards where
you say,
mother,
M-O-T-H-E-R.
And so we
would write
something like,
M,
marvelously,
O,
overflowing
with love,
and T,
touching the
H,
heart of,
E,
everyone she
R,
reaches.
You ever
done one of
those cards?
Something like
that?
Received one
of those cards?
Maybe one of
your friends
made fun of
you with
those acrostic
cards?
That's sort
of what's
going on
here.
This is the
complete picture
of the greatness
of God from
A to Z,
the full
alphabet.
More
precisely,
from Aleph
to Tav.
Or,
as we'd say
in Greek,
from Alpha
to Omega.
By the way,
who's the Alpha
and Omega?
Our Lord Jesus
Christ.
He's the
completeness
of this
Psalm and
this
praise.
So what's
actually in
the Psalm?
Well,
when you look
through the
Psalm,
if you've
read through
the Psalms,
you'll see
actually in
Psalm 145,
as far as
I can see,
there's
absolutely no
new content.
It's all
things that
have been
said before
throughout the
Psalm book,
but kind of
bunched together.
What's new
about it is
it is
completely
start to
finish
praise
at the
end of
Book 5.
David,
it's almost
like he's
reflecting
towards the
end of his
life,
and he's
saying,
listen,
I've written
all these
Psalms before.
These
Psalms have
been about
through my
troubles,
this is
who my
God is.
Through my
pains and
losses,
this is
who my
God is.
Through my
doubts and
darkness,
this is
who my
God is.
Through the
betrayals,
through the
blessings and
comforts,
through the
history of
my people,
through my
sin and
his
forgiveness
of my
sin,
this is
who my
God is.
And now
he's come
to the
end and
said,
I'm just
overwhelmed.
I've got to
come out
with complete
A to Z
praise in
Psalm 145.
There are
many themes
of praise
in this
Psalm,
far too
many for
me to
really go
over,
but I'd
like to
just draw
out four
which I
think are
prominent
and what
we could
benefit from
today.
Four themes
of praise
I see
here.
First,
David is
saying,
I must
speak of
my God's
greatness
in the
early verses.
Then David
says,
I must
speak of
my God's
grace.
Then David
says,
I must
speak of
my God's
rule,
his kingdom.
And finally,
I must
speak of
my God's
righteousness.
Four themes
that are
quite prominent
in this.
First,
I must
speak of
God's
greatness.
If you
look with
me at
verses 3
to 6
here,
Psalm 145
verse 3,
great is
the Lord
and most
worthy of
praise.
His
greatness
no one
can fathom.
One
generation
commends
your works
to another.
They tell
of your
mighty acts.
They speak
of the
glorious
splendor
of your
majesty.
And I
will
meditate
on your
wonderful
works.
They tell
of the
power of
your
awesome
works.
I
will
proclaim
your
great
deeds.
His
greatness
no one
can
fathom.
That's a
beautiful
picture.
You know
what a
fathom
is?
We
don't
use
too
often
anymore
the
idea
of a
sounding
line.
But
during
days
past,
when
ships
used
to
sail,
they
needed
to know
how much
water
was under
the
ship
so they
didn't
run
aground.
So they
had these
sounding
lines,
and they
would either
tie knots
every two
yards or
six feet,
and that
was a
fathom.
And they
put a
weight on
the end
of the
sounding
line,
they'd
throw it
in,
and they'd
measure it
up,
and they'd
call out
the
fathoms,
how much
water was
under the
ship so
that it
wouldn't
run
aground.
But the
realities are,
if you
try throwing
out a
fathom
line over
the
Mariana
Trench,
there's no
fathom line
that is
going to
measure the
depths of
the sea
there.
And David
is saying,
that's what the
greatness of
my God is
like.
It is
unmeasurable.
You cannot
measure how
great he is.
It is
unsearchable.
No one can
fathom his
greatness.
I must speak
of my God's
greatness.
David also
says,
I must
speak of
my God's
grace.
Look with
me,
please,
at verses
7 to
10.
He says,
they celebrate
your abundant
goodness and
joyfully sing
of your
righteousness.
The Lord
is gracious
and compassionate,
slow to
anger,
and rich in
love.
The Lord
is good to
all.
He has
compassion on
all he has
made.
All your
works praise
you,
Lord,
your faithful
people.
extol you.
I must
speak of
my God's
grace.
Grace
is what
is unearned.
Grace
is what
is undeserved.
Free.
A gift.
If you've
earned it,
it's not
grace.
If you
deserve it,
it's not
grace.
If you
worked for
it,
it's not
grace.
freely
given.
The Lord
is gracious.
He's
compassionate.
He's
merciful.
This is
how God
saves us.
God
gives us
everything we
could never
get for
ourselves.
He puts
us right
with him.
When we
have nothing
to give,
when we
only deserve
judgment,
he gives
grace.
This is
how he
saves us.
And so
mercy is
quite simply
not getting
what you
deserve.
And that's
a wonderful
thing to
get mercy,
isn't it?
But grace
is God
giving us
everything we
could never
have on our
own merits.
He gives
them to us
freely.
So for
instance,
if we were
to say
that,
what if
there was
a troubled
young man
in the
area?
What if
he was
an orphan
and he
happened to
be someone
who was
burning with
a lot of
hatred and
he was an
arsonist?
And he
found a
particular
wealthy man
who had
lots of
properties in
the area
and what
he did is
he set out
systematically
to find out
which properties
he owned
and burn
them.
And the
day comes
where the
young man
is caught
red-handed
in the
act and
he's brought
before the
wealthy man
and the
wealthy man
says,
I will
not press
charges.
Let him
go.
Let him
go free.
That would
be mercy,
wouldn't it?
And that
would be
incredible
mercy on
behalf of
that wealthy
man.
But can
you imagine
if the
wealthy man
were to
say,
but you
know what?
I will
do more
than show
mercy.
I will
offer to
take this
young orphan
as my
own son.
And I
will make
him heir
to all
that is
mine.
This would
be grace.
That young
man deserves
judgment.
But he's
receiving mercy
and then
grace.
God
is a
God
who is
gracious
and
compassionate
to us.
And David
is wowed
by how
God is
slow to
anger,
rich
in love.
This is
who my
God is.
My lips
will speak
of him,
of his
praise.
I must
speak of
my
God's
rule or
his
kingdom in
verses 11
to 13.
If you look
with me
there at
verse 11,
they tell
of the
glory of
your
kingdom
and speak
of your
might so
that all
people may
know your
mighty acts
and the
glorious
splendor
of your
kingdom.
Your
kingdom is
an everlasting
kingdom and
your dominion
endures
throughout all
generations.
Now,
think of
this,
who's
writing?
David.
Of all
the kings
of Judah,
all the kings
of Israel,
where does
David write?
The greatest.
David,
it would
seem to
us,
could easily
write about
the greatness
of his
kingdom.
He has
nothing to
say about
it here.
He speaks
of the
greatness of
God's
kingdom,
which is
ultimately
the greatness
of the
promised
son of
David,
Jesus
Christ,
king of
all kings.
And he
sees here,
he's holding
on to
these promises
of a
kingdom that
is forever
and ever.
It's
lasting.
I must
speak of
God's
rule.
But can
I ask
you,
in all
seriousness,
the psalm
starts with,
in verse
one,
I will
exalt
you,
my
God,
the
king.
God's
love.
I think
it would
be good
for each
of us
to give
an
assessment,
is
Jesus
really
my
God?
Genuinely,
is he
the king
in my
life?
Is this
Jesus?
Is he
your king?
Does he
have authority
over you
right now?
I must
speak of
my God's
rule.
I must
also speak
of my
God's
righteousness
in verses
14 to
20.
Just look
with me
particularly
verse 17
please.
The Lord
is righteous
in all
his ways
and faithful
in all
he does.
The Lord
is near
to all
who call
on him
in truth.
He fulfills
the desires
of those
who fear
him.
He hears
their cry
and saves
them.
The Lord
watches
over all
who love
him but
all the
wicked he
will destroy.
The term
righteous means
to put
things right.
To put
things
right.
Now when we
understand what
that means
that's a really
reassuring truth
about God
isn't it?
We see a
world where
things are not
put right
yet.
It's very
reassuring
that God
will put
things
right.
He's
righteous.
However,
once we
see that
that's
reassuring
we have
to realize
God being
righteous
is terrifying
because if
he's a
God who
puts all
things right,
if all
wrongs must
be put
right,
then my
wrongs
must be
put right
by a
righteous
God.
It says,
last statement,
the wicked
he will
destroy
and the
next thing
he does
is go
into
benediction.
My
mouth will
praise him.
Praise his
holy name
forever and
ever.
Here's what
happens,
is in
salvation,
God saves
people through
putting their
sins right.
God saves
me by
putting my
sin right.
He
reconciles
us through
the cross
where my
sin is
completely
and thoroughly
judged with
right judgment.
Jesus took
the judgment
I should
have got
righteousness.
Our
salvation,
if you're a
brother or
sister who's
trusting in
Jesus,
who knows
his salvation,
we need to
be clear on
this,
our salvation
only comes
to us
through
judgment.
Jesus
took that
judgment so
we could
receive mercy,
forgiveness,
and grace.
Salvation
through judgment,
God puts
all things
right.
And this
gracious
salvation only
comes to
those who
repent and
put their
trust in
God's
King,
the one who
laid down
his life for
them at
the cross.
And he
calls on
everyone in
the world,
turn to
me,
and be
saved,
all you
ends of
the earth,
for I
am God,
there is
no other.
Have you
turned to
him?
If you
haven't,
will you
turn to
him and
be saved?
Because he
delights to
save.
This is what
he loves to
do.
This is what
Jesus came
into the
world.
He came
to be our
king,
but he
came to
be our
saving
king.
I will
open my
mouth and
speak of
your
righteousness.
Then we
have this
again,
final
benediction.
My mouth
will speak,
verse 21.
My mouth
will speak
in praise of
the Lord.
Let every
creature praise
his holy
name forever
and ever.
David is
wowed by
the greatness
of God.
David is
overwhelmed.
So he's
put it into
words.
He's put it
into song.
He must
speak.
He has to
sing.
But can
you imagine
if this is
how wowed
David was
3,000 years
ago, how
wowed David
would be to
know what we
now know?
that a
child would
be born?
That that
child would
be 100%
human and
100%
God?
That that
child would
live a
perfect life
as a
substitute in
the place of
those who
couldn't do
it?
That that
child would
take the
judgment of
God on
himself at
the cross
in love,
bearing the
sins of
others when
he deserved
no judgment?
so that
he could
put them
right with
God?
That that
child would
rise again?
That that
child would
be ascended
to heaven and
seated at the
right hand of
God in
glory?
That that
child will
come again
and he will
put all
things right?
He will
judge all
things and
he will put
things right
in a new
heaven and
a new
earth,
the home
of
righteousness
where he
rules.
What if
David could
have seen
that 3,000
years ago?
I wonder
what would
have been
in our
Sam.
David sees
it now.
He sees
it all.
Do we
see it?
David is
wowed.
Jesus,
the
completeness
of God's
glory,
the Alpha
and the
Omega,
the full
alphabet,
the story
of redemption.
He delights
to save.
Will you
turn to
him for
salvation
today?
But how
will we
respond?
Can I
just say,
I read
a Sam
like this
and I'm
like,
I really
need to
be wowed
more than
I am.
God,
shake the
dullness
in me
so that
my lips
have to
open and
I need
to speak
like David.
We need
to be
wowed.
But also,
can I say
this?
I think
a response
to this
is,
we should
open our
mouths
and speak
of the
praise of
this great
God,
if he is
our God.
We need
to literally
speak,
not just
think about
it,
but actually
speak.
think of
this,
David says
in the
psalm,
look at
verse 4,
he says,
one generation
commends
your works
to another,
they tell
of your
mighty acts,
they speak
of the
glorious
splendor
of your
majesty,
I will
meditate
on your
wonderful
works.
And he
goes on,
one generation
to another.
This is
David's
concern,
I must
speak so
that the
next generation
will also
speak and
the generation
after them
will also
speak.
And you
know what,
David succeeded.
Here we
are 3,000
years later
and his
words have
been passed
on generation
to generation
to us.
That's cool.
That means
speaking up
can make a
difference
generation
to generation
through time.
So some
very practical
things I think
we should do
in relation
to a proper
response to
this Sam.
Sam.
here it
is.
Open your
mouth and
speak the
praise of
the Lord.
But here's
some practical
realities.
We've already
done it this
morning,
but I think
we can do
it in a
more wild
way.
Sing.
Because David
wrote a
song.
Sing,
be here,
and be
heard when
it's time
to sing.
Every Sunday
we gather
is an
opportunity
to speak
of the
greatness
of our
God to
those who
believe already
and those
who have
yet to
believe.
So sing.
Practical
reality.
Sing out.
Be heard.
No auditions.
We're all
called to
speak of
his greatness
through song.
Speak
then.
Others
must hear
of God's
greatness.
Can I
just say
a very
practical
application
is in
verse 4
here.
The next
generation
needs to
hear.
Can you
imagine a
tech company
that would
have decided
you know
what?
First
generation
was
adequate.
What if
Apple
decided
the first
iPhone
that's
all we
needed.
They'd
have been
left
behind.
Right?
We need
to realize
that this
glorious
message needs
to pass
from our
lips to
the next
generation
so that
they will
tell the
next
generation
so they
will tell
the next
generation.
Speak
so that
generations
to come
will hear.
Can I
just say
a little
word to
parents?
We do
need to
focus on
the next
generation
hearing.
They need
to hear
it from
our lips.
When we
come here
and sing
they need
to hear
us sing.
When we're
at home
we need
to speak
of the
greatness
of God
and take
opportunities
to point
our children
to the
greatness
of God.
And what I
just say
don't miss
opportunities
to bring
your children
to places
where they
will hear
of the
greatness
of God.
That probably
means a lot
more trips
to the
petrol station
to fill
up and
pay.
That means
a lot more
time driving
around in
your car
and prioritizing
where you're
going to bring
your children
because my
children must
hear of the
greatness
of this
God.
Practical
application.
For
Carigline
Baptist
can I
just say
to encourage
you,
you are
known for
your concern
for next
generations.
It's already
been announced
this morning
that amazing
things going
on with
youth and
children.
And can I
say,
they must
know our
God.
And I
know this
concerns you
and I
know it's
very costly
to invest
in the
next
generation.
Could I
just say
keep
enduring
in that?
Keep
speaking to
them of
the greatness
of God.
We trust
that generations
to come
will hear
from them
about how
great and
how wowed
they've
become by
our great
God.
Also speak
of your
future hope.
The psalm,
to an
extent,
the psalm
feels like,
well,
where's the
realism of
the previous
psalms?
Because in
the previous
psalms,
there's lots
of real
life stuff
in there.
This seems
almost too
good.
It's kind
of too
utopian.
But I
think what
it is,
is that
David,
as he
ages,
realizes,
you know
what,
what I'm
talking about
in this
psalm is
real life.
It's the
life to
come.
And I'm
full of
anticipation.
Notice how
many times
David talks
about forever
and ever.
He's
anticipating the
life to
come.
And so
there's a
little word
here for
those of
us who
hesitate,
are aging.
How's that?
I don't want to
call anybody
aged yet.
But this
utopian
outlook is
truly life.
There's a
member of
our congregation
now in
his 90s
and his
health is
really
slipping.
And his
mind is
slipping a
bit.
He says
to me,
when I go
visit him
several times
in the
conversation,
maybe three,
four times,
he'll say,
oh, what
part of
America are
you from?
And I
say, well,
I'm actually
Canadian.
And he's
always, what
part of
Canada?
Oh, I'm
from the
west, in
the mountains.
Oh, right,
you're from
the west.
What's it
like there?
Do you
like it
there?
And then
maybe seven
minutes later,
we have the
same conversation
again and
again.
He keeps
springing up.
But you
know, this
man, before
he started
to slip
mentally, and
now that
he's slipped
mentally, there
is one line
he repeats
five to ten
times every
time I visit
him, and
it's this,
Bryce.
And he
says it with
emotion in
his voice and
often tears
in his eyes.
Bryce, the
Lord.
has been so
good to
me.
He can't
stop saying
it, whether
fully in his
right mind or
slipping.
He has to
speak these
words again
and again
and again.
If we're
aging, we've
still got words
to speak, just
like David
does in
this psalm.
David cannot
contain God's
greatness.
He says,
verse 21,
my mouth
will speak
in praise
of the
Lord.
Let every
creature
praise his
holy name
forever and
ever.
Can I say
just to you,
brothers and
sisters, let
it be said
of Keragoline
Baptist
Church, these
people actually
believe in this
great God, and
they can't help
opening their
mouths to
speak and to
sing of the
greatness of
their Lord.
Let's pray.
Father, we
thank you for
these words of
David.
We confess
that we're
often not
wowed as
David was,
but we know
that him led
by the Spirit
has brought us
these words.
Would you lead
us by your
Spirit to be
wowed by your
greatness and
then to open
our mouths and
speak of your
majesty?
Amen.
Thanks very
much, Bryce.