Sermon - Psalm 68 - Praise God

Rev. Jeffrey T. Howard

Beaver Dam and Pitts Creek Churches

Sermon - Psalm 68 - Praise God

June 1, 2014

This morning we will talk about praising God. We know that we should praise God and we come to worship on Sundays to do just that. But why do we praise God? What has God done for us that deserves praise? We will get to this, but first let's pray.

Delivering God, you have safely brought us to this new day. Keep us free from all dangers, perils, and troubles. By the power of your Spirit, strengthen our focus as we seek to follow Christ and to humbly serve your truth. Amen.¹

Psalm 68:1-35 NIV Psalm 68:1 For the director of music. Of David. A psalm. A song. May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him. 2 As smoke is blown away by the wind, may you blow them away; as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God. 3 But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful. 4 Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds--his name is the LORD-- and rejoice before him.

The thing the Hebrews feared more than than anything else was slavery. Their scripture reminded them over and over again of their history as slaves in Egypt. They remembered, with feasts and festivals, the time, when God worked through Moses to redeem them from slavery. And they had promised, while wandering in the wilderness for forty years, to always keep God's laws in gratitude for their freedom. But they knew that they were only one battle away from returning to slavery. A defeat in battle would mean that they would lose everything they had, their farms, their businesses, their families and their way of life. People who lost a war were often taken into slavery. But David wants his people to live in the confidence that God, the creator of the world, will use his power to protect them. And for this God deserves our praise. Let's return to the psalm.

5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. 6 God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. 7 When you went out before your people, O God, when you marched through the wasteland, Selah 8 the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel. 9 You gave abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance. 10 Your people settled in it, and from your bounty, O God, you provided for the poor.

Another way to become a slave was to lose a husband or a father. In ancient times, the only way to make a living was by working the land. Women and children were completely dependent on husbands and fathers to work the land and provide for their families. But if a woman lost her husband or a child lost a father, and there were no other family members around to care for them, they would be left destitute. David wants the widows and orphans to know that they will be cared for. It is God's desire that everyone have food to eat and a place to stay. That's why God provides sunshine and rain and good soil where food can grow in abundance. And so for caring for the widows and the orphans and the poor, we praise God. Back to David.

11 The Lord announced the word, and great was the company of those who proclaimed it: 12 "Kings and armies flee in haste; in the camps men divide the plunder. 13 Even while you sleep among the campfires, the wings of my dove are sheathed with silver, its feathers with shining gold." 14 When the Almighty scattered the kings in the land, it was like snow fallen on Zalmon. 15 The mountains of Bashan are majestic mountains; rugged are the mountains of Bashan. 16 Why gaze in envy, O rugged mountains, at the mountain where God chooses to reign, where the LORD himself will dwell forever? 17 The chariots of God are tens of thousands and thousands of thousands; the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary. 18 When you ascended on high, you led captives in your train; you received gifts from men, even from the rebellious-- that you, O LORD God, might dwell there. 19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Selah

The only hope that David's people had to escape from slavery was their God. God's power was needed to defeat their enemies. God's justice was needed to care for the widows and orphans. Only God could protect them. And this was the good news that priests proclaimed to the people. Their God was a God of power and righteousness and was coming on a chariot across the sky. God was always with them. And for this, God deserved their praise.

But what about us. We live securely behind a vast army and large oceans that protect us from our enemies. Our widows can work for wages or start businesses. We have a child welfare system to take care of orphans. And here in America slavery has been outlawed. What reason do we have to praise God. Listen to this story which I think is an example of modern day slavery.

Renaud III was the king of a province of Belgium in the 14^th century. The word “renaud” means “fat” in French. And Renaud was very fat. After a dispute with his brother, Edward, Renuad found himself in prison, but there was no lock on the door and no bars on the window. All Renaud had to do to regain his kingdom was to walk out the door. But he couldn't because he was too fat and couldn't fit through a normal sized door. Renaud tried to lose weight to free himself, but his brother, Edward, kept sending his favorite food into his room.²

Renaud was a slave to eating. This slavery prevented him from inheriting a kingdom which was rightly his. He needed help to escape from his slavery, but he couldn't do it himself. He needed a redeemer. Let's go back to the psalm.

20 Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death.

This is the good news for us. We are condemned to die. Death is a sure thing. You can put it off for a while, but it always catches up with you. And the reason for this is that we are slaves. We are slaves to sin. Generation after generation since the beginning of time people have been totally depraved, unable to do good, slaves to their sinful nature. As a consequence of this slavery, we are condemned to death. But the good news is that in Jesus Christ this slavery has ended. The Holy Spirit frees us from slavery to sin. And the curse of death is ended. The gift for all who believe in Jesus Christ is that they will live eternally in the resurrection. Let's hear what David said about a redeemer.

21 Surely God will crush the heads of his enemies, the hairy crowns of those who go on in their sins.

The devil's days are numbered. His evil spirits are on the run, because you no longer have to do their bidding. You have been set free from sin by the power of Jesus Christ.

Renaud was freed from his room. When Edward died the door of Renaud's room was enlarged freeing him to ascend to his rightful throne. You too have been given freedom from sin. And now you are free to follow your savior, Jesus Christ and obey his commands. So, how should we respond to a gift like this? Let's hear what David has to say.

32 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth, sing praise to the Lord, Selah 33 to him who rides the ancient skies above, who thunders with mighty voice. 34 Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the skies. 35 You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!

Our response is to praise God for this wonderful gift of salvation. We proclaim to the world that God's power and God's justice have freed us from slavery to sin and we are assured of eternal life. We pledge to follow Jesus Christ and keep his commands to be peacekeepers and protectors of widows and orphans as a way of glorifying him. Praise the Lord! Let's pray.

Father in heaven, we thank you for the gift of salvation. You have freed us from slavery to sin which allows us to freely choose you. We do choose you. And we offer up these praises to you in gratitude. This we pray in our redeemer's name. Amen.

1Kimberly Long, Feasting On the Word Worship Companion (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2013), 171.

2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reginald_III,_Duke_of_Guelders