Praise Him For His Kindness
July 21, 2021
Commentary
The theme of Psalm 135 is worship. Our worship should be inspired by the fact of who God is and our position in Him (vv. 1-2). Just the mere thought of His name should inspire us to praise Him. Even a little child can praise Him, and it will bring as much delight to the heart of God as a mature and thoughtful saint who has known him for many years.
1. We need to praise God for his goodness. (vv. 3-4) – Just suppose that he wasn’t good. Suppose our Christian life was only a dream, and the gods of the heathen were the true gods. Suppose Baal was the true god, and his temples were really brothels, and his priests were really pimps and prostitutes. Or suppose the Hindus were right or Moloch was god, and he had an unquenchable thirst for blood. It is so wonderful to know our true and living God is who He says He is and that He is absolutely and actively good and looking for ways He can express His goodness to us. We need to constantly be praising Him.
2. We need to praise God for His greatness. (vv. 5-12) – It has been estimated that during a summer’s day five thousand million tons of water evaporate from the surface of the Mediterranean Sea. This process has been going on for hundreds of years and yet there seems to be as much water these days as in the time of Christ. The amount of vapor given off by any liquid depends on the temperature at which it boils. If water boiled at the same point as alcohol the vapor given off by the ocean would be two and a half times greater than now. In one winter’s day the snow could bury the houses. This is just one of the marvels of God’s creation.
Let me highlight two aspects of God’s goodness. They are God’s choice and God’s care. A person’s choices reflect a person’s heart. Anyone can choose to be loving, caring and faithful when life is good or when he or she is being treated well. But when your life is filled with hardships or when injustice is done to you, your choices in response to the hardship and injustice will reveal your heart.
Application
My worship to the Lord should include thanksgiving for who He is and who I am in Him?
Psalms 135:1– 12 (NET)
1 Praise the Lord. Praise the name of the Lord. Offer praise, you servants of the Lord,
2 who serve in the Lord’s temple, in the courts of the temple of our God.
3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good. Sing praises to his name, for it is pleasant.
4 Indeed, the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel to be his special possession.
5 Yes, I know the Lord is great, and our Lord is superior to all gods.
6 He does whatever he pleases in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all the ocean depths.
7 He causes the clouds to arise from the end of the earth, makes lightning bolts accompany the rain, and brings the wind out of his storehouses.
8 He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, including both men and animals.
9 He performed awesome deeds and acts of judgment in your midst, O Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants.
10 He defeated many nations, and killed mighty kings—
11 Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan.
12 He gave their land as an inheritance, as an inheritance to Israel his people.