The Lord’s Message:  All of Creation Praises the Lord

The Lord’s Message:  All of Creation Praises the Lord
Date:  June 9, 2024
Where:  Kronsberg Park
Scripture Reference:  Psalm 148

            Do you know how many patents have been issued in the United States?  Over 11 million.  The 11 millionth patent was issued on May 11, 2021.  The first unnumbered patent was issued in July of 1790.  Numbered issued patents were first issued consecutively in 1836.  Why all these patents?  The inventors of these patents created items that were useful.  I am sure that other inventors created useful items and never applied for a patent.  My father has several special tools that he created out of old wrenches and sockets to work on equipment.  I am sure that many watermen have come up with equipment to help them in their jobs.  Many office people have created different programs and files to help them with their work.  You may be thinking what is the main point in all of this?  I am glad you asked.  The Bible tells us that God created the heavens and the earth.  God created everything including you and me.  God created us out of Himself, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  That creating DNA is inside all of us.  All of us are creators of one thing or another.  We must wonder at times why did God create all of this?   The Psalmist gives us the answer in Psalm 148.  The reason is to Praise Him. 

            Let us pray.

            The Psalmist divides the area where the praise of God occurs in creation, between the heavens and the earth.  In verses 1-6, everything in the heavens praises God.  In verses 7-14, everything on earth praises God.

            This is one of five psalms that are known as the Hallelujah psalms.  They are the last five psalms in the Book of Psalms, Psalm 146 to 150.  Where you see the phrase, “Praise the Lord,” the Hebrew word is Hallelu Yah.  Each of these Psalm begins and ends with Hallelujah.

            Let us look at verses 1-6 where the heavens are praising God.  In verse 1, the Psalmist says to Praise the Lord from the heavens.  God is not just the God of Israel, but He is the God over all, who deserves the praise in “the heights above.  In Psalm 19:1, the heavens’ job is to the declare the glory of God.  This psalm declares that the heavens are continuing this praise.

All the angelic beings are called on to praise the Lord in verse 2.  In Revelation 4:8, this is the constant duty of the living creatures.  We are told in Isaiah 14:12-15 that Satan, who was once an angelic being, did not do this and was kicked out of heaven.   Satan, instead of worshipping and praising God (which is why God created him) wanted the worship and praise for himself.  Thus should be a warning to all of us, that we should never accept praise that is due to God.  Instead, we should humble ourselves before God and praise Him.  In Colossians 2:18, Paul warns us about worshipping angels as some in the past have been tempted to do.  God is the only one that is worthy of our praise and worship. 

In verse 3, the sun, moon and stars worship and praise God.  The English theologian, Thomas Hartwell Horne, explains it this way, “Though they have neither speech nor language, and lack the tongue of men, yet by their splendor and magnificence, their motions and their influences, all regulated and exerted according to the ordinance of their Maker, do, in a very intelligible and striking manner, declare the glory of God.”  If you were up 20 minutes before sunrise on Monday, you would have seen the alignment of six planets, Mercury, Uranus, Mars, Neptune, Saturn, and Jupiter.  If you did not catch it, check out Youtube.  This will happen again on August 28, 2024.  The planets praise God.

In verse 4, the highest heavens and waters above the skies praise God.  For the psalmist, the blue sky and the night sky were all aspects of the heavens.  Have you ever just laid down on the grass and looked at the clouds?  How many different kinds of animals or images can you see?  Some clouds are whimsical in nature, and some are powerful and fierce.  They are all declaring their praise of God. 

In verse 5 the psalmist declares that God commanded and created them.  On the second day of creation, Genesis 1: 6-8, God spoke, and the sky was created.  In verse 6, He put them in their place forever.  They will be there until the end of time. 

The Psalmist now turns to the earth and all the creatures on the earth that are praising God.  In verse 7, we have the great sea creatures of the oceans praising God.  Have you ever heard whales singing?  They sing the most beautiful song you have ever heard.  How about the dolphins singing?  Or the other creatures of the seas, bays, and rivers singing their songs to God. 

The Psalmist tells of the storms of hail, snow, lightning, clouds, and winds in verse 8 that are praising God by doing what God has made them to do.  I know that these bring damage and sometimes loss of life, but you have to marvel at what these forces of nature can do. 

In verse 9, the Psalmist turns their attention to the praise coming from the mountains, hills, fruit trees, and cedars.  How many times have you looked up at a majestic mountain towering into the skies and know that God made the mountain?  Or looked down the valley at the rolling hills.  Or picked a delicious fruit from a tree and took a bite and tasted the goodness of what God had created.  This fruit tree is praising God, by producing this delicious fruit.  What is your favorite fruit?  Or look at the tall cedar, oak or pine trees soaring into the skies.  All of these are praising God for creating them. 

In verse 10, the land animals are praising God for creating them.  The wild animals, along with the domesticated animals, doing what God made them to do are praising God.  Why do we try to silence dogs from barking or cats from meowing?  God made dogs to bark and cats to meow.  Just as dogs bark and cats meow, so the Psalmist tells of the birds flying and the small creatures going about what God has made them to do.  Ants show up when food is around.  You have to admire how hard they work. 

Now, we get around to us, human beings.  The Psalmist says in verses 11 & 12, that the kings of the earth, all the nations, princes, rulers, young men, maidens, old men, and children.   should praise God. All of humanity owes praise to the God who made them and sustains them.  Horne sums it up this way, “After the whole creation hath been called upon to praise Jehovah, man, for whom the whole was made, man, the last and more perfect work of God, man, that hath been since redeemed by the blood of the Son of God incarnate, is exhorted to join and fill up the universal chorus of heaven and earth.”  Paul put it this way in Philippians 2:9-11.   

There are four reasons for all of this praise found in verses 13-14. 

First, God deserves this praise because He alone is God.  “For His name alone is exalted.”  There is no other being that deserves the worship, the honor, and the praise that God deserves.  

Second, “His splendor is above the earth and the heavens.”  God is immeasurably greater and more glorious than anything on earth.  We should reserve our praise for only that which is truly greater and more glorious, and not for the lesser things, such as wealth, prestige, and pride.  The great Evangelist Charles Spurgeon says this about reserving our praise for God, “He is himself the crown of all things, excellency of the creation.  There is more glory in Him personally than in all His works united.  It is not possible for us to exceed and become extravagant in the Lord’s praise:  His own natural glory is infinitely greater than any glory which we can render to Him.” 

Third, “He has raised up for His people a horn.”  The word horn symbolizes a strong person, a king, or a Messiah.  In Isaiah 42:1-9, the prophet Isaiah writes about this horn, king, or Messiah.  When John the Baptist is in prison, he contemplates whether Jesus is the Messiah.  John the Baptist knows that he is going to die, and he wants to make certain the Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah.  John sends his disciples to Jesus to inquire whether Jesus is the Messiah or should they look for another.  Jesus replies in Matthew 11:4-6.  The Psalmist confirms that God is to be praised because He will send the Messiah. 

Fourth, God is close to His people.  “The praise of all His saints, of Israel, the people close to His heart.”  God is not sitting some where on a throne letting the world go by.  God is actively at work in this world.  God loves the world so much.  How much you may ask?  John 3:16-17.  After Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension, God sent His Holy Spirit to be with all the believers, John 14:15-17. 

            So, let us all praise God by saying Hallelujah!  He is the one that has made us.  Amen.