A Portrait of a Thankful Heart

Outline

The Psalms is divided into 5 “books” or collections

Collections 1-4 end with a short doxological tag but collection 5 ends differently

• End of Book 1 – Psalm 41:13 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.
• End of Book 2 – Psalm 72:18-19 Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who alone works wonders. And blessed be His glorious name forever; and may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and Amen.
• End of Book 3 – Psalm 89:52 Blessed be the Lord forever! Amen and Amen.
• End of Book 4 – Psalm 106:48 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting even to everlasting. And let all the people say, “Amen.” Praise the Lord!
• End of Book 5 is Psalm 145 – an extended “Blessed be the name of the Lord” doxology.
• Psalm 146-150 is a crescendo of Praise

In the ongoing epic story of God’s people waiting for the perfect king and kingdom of God amidst oppression, personal failure, and national failure, God’s people needed to be reminded of a conclusion their past king David came to amidst all his failures. Psalm 145 is the epic conclusion of a failed Davidic king recognizing that God is his merciful King. God’s Kingship is not great because of His power to spin galaxies in His hands and execute vengeance, but the greatness of this King is in His mercy and compassion in relationship to His subjects (His kingdom). The King’s subject’s gracious experience at the hand of the King is the “glory” of the King and Kingdom throughout each enduring generation. Thus, the individual sharing of praise and thankfulness experienced at God’s merciful and saving hand leads others – “all flesh” – to bless the name of God (145:21) from generation to generation. Herein lies God’s people’s legacy – the sharing of the King’s Glory to the next generation! Appropriately so, then, after Psalm 145, Israel selected 5 psalms that enjoin all that has breath to offer praise to God.

3 characteristics of an exuberant thankful heart

I. Is Enamored with God’s Greatness (vv. 3-7)

• great…and highly…
• unsearchable
• mighty acts
• glorious splendor of Your majesty
• wonderful works
• power of your awesome acts
• eagerly utter the memory of your abundant goodness
• shout joyfully

“I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation.” (Lewis, C.S., Reflections on the Psalms, p. 111 HarperCollins. Kindle Edition)

II. Understands the Primary Reason for God’s Greatness (8-20)

Psalm 145:8 - The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger and great in lovingkindness. (Hebrew word - “hesed”) Cf. Exodus 34:6

A. His works – grace in His people’s lives

B. His kingdom – which operates differently than the kingdoms of men (vv. 10-12)

III. Overflows with Proclamation of God’s Greatness for the Purpose of Edification and Evangelism (vv. 1-2, 21)

Have you ever seen a photo or picture of yourself and thought

…that did not accurately portray me in that moment

Perhaps it did not capture what you were thinking or how you were feeling or the circumstances of that time.

Take for example this picture:

• [Insert family photo], explain.

Now, if every picture in the photo album looked like this you would have to question if I was thankful for the special journey I was on.

Some of the psalms have given us pictures…momentary snapshots, into the lives of Christians on their journey of faith as they wait for kingdom of God and the Messiah who will reign forever.

We have seen pictures of the psalms of believers who praise God for the joy of God’s word, or the joy of their secure position with God, as well as portraits when their souls are noisy or going through the path of suffering and give thanks for the character of God and his works like deliverance and forgiveness.

So, imagine if we were to take a photo, or paint a personal portrait that captures the mood of the Psalmist at the moment of the Psalm and then you were to assemble that into a photo album.

What would that the collection of portraits look like for these believers?

There is no doubt that some portraits might be darker, be tinged with tears. But even in some the Songs of Lament joy often emerged in the background of the portrait as well.

• But one of the clear themes over and over in nearly every Psalm is thankfulness for something.

What about for you? If we took a picture or had someone paint a portrait of you everyday for the last ten months, would we look at that album and see a person who is growing in gospel gratitude?

In other words, could someone say:

“That’s A Portrait of a Thankful Heart!”

With those thoughts in mind please turn to Psalm 145.

That is on page 454 in the front section, the Old Testament, of the bible in the chair in front of you.

Today we are continuing our annual series of Growing in Gospel Gratitude but bringing our fall series in the Psalms, The Heart of Thanksgiving to a close.

Next week begins our stewardship month emphasis which will culminate at our Stewardship Celebration on November 20^th at 5pm at the Tippecanoe County Fair Grounds.

Let me first explain the background context of Psalm 145 before we read it together.

Psalm 145 is the Psalm Israel chose to be the last Psalm of the last book of the 5 books in their hymn book.

• After this the Psalms will end with ushering in another 5 Psalms that are a crescendo of Praise.

Psalm 145 is also a Psalm of David. The King of Israel.

When Pastor Brent introduced this series too you about 8 weeks ago, we mentioned a video he made to detail the structure of the Psalms. You may view that video at www.faithlafayette.org/thepsalms so that you can see the unique place of Psalm 145.

This Psalm—145—is an extended pattern of praise formula “Blessed be the Name of the Lord” that ends book V of the Psalms

The collection of the Psalms is divided into 5 “books” or collections

Collections 1–4 end with a short “Blessed be…” praise pattern but collection 5 is different.

• · End of Book 1— Psalm 41:13 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, From everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.

• · End of Book 2 —Psalm 72:18-19 Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who alone works wonders. And blessed be His glorious name forever; And may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and Amen.

• · End of Book 3—Psalm 89:52 Blessed be the Lord forever! Amen and Amen.

• · End of Book 4 – Psalm 106:48 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, From everlasting even to everlasting. And let all the people say, “Amen.” Praise the Lord!

• · Psalm 145 —is an extended “Blessed be the name of the Lord” doxology.

• · Psalm 146–150 is a crescendo of Praise

Based upon the content, nature and placement of this Psalm, let me give a reason for the possible strategic placement of this Psalm of David right here.

In the ongoing epic story of God’s people waiting for the perfect king and kingdom of God amidst oppression, personal failure, and national failure, God’s people needed to be reminded of a conclusion that their past king David came to amidst all his failures. Psalm 145 is the epic conclusion of a failed Davidic king recognizing that God is his merciful King. God’s Kingship is great not only because of His power to spin galaxies in his hands and execute vengeance, but also the greatness of a King is in His mercy and compassion in relationship to His subjects (His kingdom). The “glory” of the King and his Kingdom is shown by the King’s mercy and kindness to his subjects throughout each enduring generation.

When individuals experience God’s merciful and saving works they share their praise and thanksgiving. This leads others— “all flesh” —to bless the name of God (145: 21) from generation to generation.—herein lies God’s people’s legacy!

Appropriately so, then, after Psalm 145, Israel selected 5 psalms that enjoin all that has breath to offer praise to God.

Let’s conclude our series on Growing in Gospel Gratitude by seeing

A Portrait of a Thankful Heart

The word of God through King David speaks for all to hear….

Psalm 145 (NASB95)

A Psalm of Praise, of David.

¹I will extol You, my God, O King,

And I will bless Your name forever and ever.

²Every day I will bless You,

And I will praise Your name forever and ever.

[Notice Your Name][The Psalm begins this way and ends this way with a blessing…look down at verse 21]

²¹My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,

So (that) all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.

[Why is the Psalmist blessing the Lord?] Because….

³Great is the Lord, and highly to be praised,

And His greatness is unsearchable.

[unsearchable—One cannot plum the depths of God’s greatness]

⁴One generation shall praise Your works to another,

And shall declare Your mighty acts.

[What are these might acts?]

⁵On the glorious splendor of Your majesty

[What is this majesty?]

And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.

[What are these wonderful works?]

⁶Men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts,

[What are these awesome acts?]

And I will tell of Your greatness.

[Of what aspect of God’s greatness am I telling?]

⁷They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness

[eagerly overflow…getting a bit more specific here.. “goodness”]

And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness.

[even more specific “righteousness’}

⁸The Lord is gracious and merciful;

Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness.

[What why, this verse comes to mind…how is related to the memory of God’s abundant goodness…and blessing your Name]

⁹The Lord is good to all,

And His mercies are over all His works.

[How can mercies be on His works what works need mercy?]

¹⁰All Your works shall give thanks to You, O Lord,

And Your godly ones shall bless You.

[I thought we were talking about God’s works…what are his works?]

¹¹They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom

And talk of Your power;

¹²To make known to the sons of men Your mighty acts

And the glory of the majesty of Your kingdom.

¹³Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

[We return to the concept of a King and a Kingdom…an enduring kingdom from generation to generation]

[What is characteristic of the King of this everlasting kingdom?]

¹⁴The Lord sustains all who fall

And raises up all who are bowed down.

¹⁵The eyes of all look to You,

And You give them their food in due time.

¹⁶You open Your hand

And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

¹⁷The Lord is righteous in all His ways

And kind in all His deeds.

¹⁸The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,

To all who call upon Him in truth.

¹⁹He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;

He will also hear their cry and will save them.

²⁰The Lord keeps all who love Him,

But all the wicked He will destroy.

²¹My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,

And [Better translation—'So that’] all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.

This morning we see A Portrait of a Thankful Heart

Let’s consider,

Three characteristics of an exuberant thankful heart.

The first characteristic of an exuberant thankful heart:

I. Is Enamored with God’s greatness (vv. 3-7)

We often say a picture is worth a thousand words. And even when we try to capture portraits of great people or places we have been, we often say “this picture doesn’t due justice to the greatness of …”

• The Psalmist’s heart is enamored with the greatness of God, and like a bubbling child grasping for words to describe his excitement and joy…

• David tries to use all the superlative adverbs and adjectives pertaining to God at his disposable

Here they are again…

• · Great ….and highly….,

• · unsearchable

• · mighty acts

• · glorious splendor of Your majesty

• · wonderful works

• · power of your awesome acts

• · eagerly utter the memory of your abundant goodness

• · shout joyfully

It’s natural for our hearts to express thanksgiving in something we enjoy and love.

C. S. Lewis states, in Reflections on the Psalms

I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation. Lewis, C. S.. Reflections on the Psalms (p. 111). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

The “appointed consummation.”

Consider that for a moment.

A delightful experience does not reach the fullness of joy if there is no appointed consummation/completion to share that experience. It’s incomplete.

All of us experience this incomplete joy that comes when your joy cannot be praised or shared with others.

Right there at that moment one can sense the acute loneliness and the truth of C.S. Lewis words. “Praise completes the enjoyment…it is the appointed consummation.”

Now, since Psalm 145 is the end of book V…the appointed consummation is for an individual and God’s people to express what has been, should be, their greatest enjoyment.

This is the chief end for which all men were created….to enjoy God and the appointed consummation of that enjoyment is to glorify, praise, give thanks, bless the Lord forever and enjoying the presence of God to bless them forever…..

That is what David learned and penned in this Psalm

Israel chose this Psalm to be the end of their book before the crescendo of praise.

Friends, you will be enamored with something.

God has designed the human heart to be filled with delight.

The meaning of the name the Garden of Eden is the “Garden of Delight”

You will delight in something. You will attempt to be enamored with something.

When the serpent deceived Eve, Eve desired something other than God….and ushered in consequence of where that leads….death.

There are only two choices….in which to find your delight

That something will either be God,

the source of all joy and Creator of all delights

or something that is not God.

Blaise Pascal, 17^th, century French Mathematicians said,

… there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace. This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself” Blaise Pascal

[425 Section 7 Morality and Doctrine https://www.gutenberg.org/files/18269/18269-h/18269-h.htm

Puritan Thomas Chalmers said…

“Such is the grasping tendency of the human heart, that it must have something to lay hold of and which, if wrested away without the substitution of another something in its place, would leave a void and a vacancy as painful to the mind, as hunger is to the natural system…The heart must have something to cling to.” Thomas Chalmers, The expulsive Power of a New Affection

You do delight in something.

You are enamored with something…what is your heart enamored with…

Is it God or something else?

What is the evidence of what your heart enamors?

—what you praise…

• § what Lewis called the anticipated consummation of your enjoyment

Put simply, what does your speech primarily praise? What does it center around?

• · Is it the greatness of God?

• · Or the greatness of something else?

[Develop Application]

The last words that we have from David in the Bible is this Psalm of Thankfulness. A Psalm of praise of a king who knew the King of Kings and his greatness.

As I was considering this point I was reminded of my Father-in-laws last words that were spoken that were words of thankfulness.

Or my Grandpa’s last words were trying to hum hymns with us.

A heart enamored with the greatness of God, portrays praise and thankfulness.

The first characteristic of an exuberant thankful heart is that it is

• Is Enamored with God’s greatness (vv. 3-7)

Secondly, the exuberant thankful heart…

II. Understands the primary reason for God’s greatness (8-20)

Studying this Psalm was a delight for me. I have been enamored with the way the psalmist is enamored with God.

I love the phrase… “I shall eagerly utter the memory of your abundant goodness.”

I had looked up that word eagerly and it has do to with a spring bubbling up or pouring out water.

The Psalmist has to talk about God’s greatness.

We want that to be true of us…so how do we help our hearts get there?

• What do we when we are struggling to be enamored by God?

• How can this Psalmist show us what helped him desire God more?

• Well he mentions the memory of God’s abundant goodness…like what? That’s what we need to remember.

Look back starting in verse 6:

⁶Men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts,

[What are these awesome acts?]

And I will tell of Your greatness.

[Of what aspect of God’s greatness am I telling?]

⁷They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness

[eagerly overflow…getting a bit more specific here.. “goodness” is something in relationship]

And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness.

[even more specific “righteousness’ “righteousness” is in regard to relationships]

Then verse 8…..

Psalm 145:8 The Lord is gracious and merciful;

Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness (Hebrew word—“hesed”)— Cf. Exodus 34:6

Where does this come into the argument of God’s works, his Name, and abundant goodness?

Where does verse 8 come from?

It was during Israel’s breaking of the covenant, a relationship of promised commitment with God, that had just been established on Mt. Sinai.

God had rescued his people from Egypt, wanted to partner with them and asked that they be enamored with God, to love and worship their God, Yahweh before all things, Israel was breaking the very first commandment and praising and worshipping idols (man-made things as Gods).

Moses is very upset.

God speculates an impending destruction for the people with Moses…

And Moses intercedes for the people and God encourages Moses to remember God’s very own character and his favor, his grace toward Moses…

Moses finally says, “I pray You, show me Your glory!”

What glory of God will enamor your heart? Why is God so great?

What is God’s answer?

Exodus 33:19 - “And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.”

The glory of God is shown by the goodness of God passing before Moses…and God speaking…revealing the name of the Lord!

God descends and puts Moses in the cliff of the rock and passes by Him saying…Yahweh, Yahweh….is gracious and merciful slow to anger and great in loving kindness.

That is His glory!!!!

So, my friends what are his glorious and powerful works, in particular I think David has in mind the gracious, compassionate, faithful lovingkindness of God toward his covenant people whom he has shown mercy.

The salvation of unfaithful sinners and God’s faithful promises to be their God and to show them mercy and loyal love from generation to generation forever.

God’s work is to create a people that will glorify God and be enamored with his greatness forever.

Look at verse 9 …

⁹The Lord is good to all,

And His mercies are over all His works. (especially/compassion)

¹⁰All Your works shall give thanks to You, O Lord,

[And Your godly ones shall bless You.

His glorious works are shown in relationship to His people by abundant goodness toward them, mercy, and lovingkindness….

His works—grace in His people’s lives

The rest of the psalm fleshes out the glory of God…..His works….in relationship to his people….

Verse..

¹⁴The Lord sustains all who fall

And raises up all who are bowed down.

¹⁵The eyes of all look to You,

And You give them their food in due time.

¹⁶You open Your hand

And satisfy the desire of every living thing.

¹⁷The Lord is righteous in all His ways

And kind in all His deeds.

¹⁸The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,

To all who call upon Him in truth.

¹⁹He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;

He will also hear their cry and will save them.

²⁰The Lord keeps all who love Him,

But all the wicked He will destroy.

The exuberant thankful heart is enamored with the greatness of God as it pertains to the personal experience of God’s great grace!

It’s the greatness of God’s grace that opens to us his kingdom.

His kingdom—which operates differently than the kingdoms of men (vv. 10–12)

Look at verses 11–12

¹¹They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom

And talk of Your power;

¹²To make known to the sons of men Your mighty acts

And the glory of the majesty of Your kingdom.

¹³Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

God’s Kingdom is permanent…it will consist of us who have experienced the grace and mercy of the King of the Universe….and generation after generation since Adam and Eve have been capable of experiencing God’s graciousness and the invitation of the King of Kings to enter his kingdom through faith in God….

Friends, this King and Kingdom is different than any other king and kingdom of man.

At the forefront of the greatness of God is God granting grace and pardon to sinners…

What king is like that?!!!!

Listen to what Ephesians 1:5-6 states with new ears…… regarding the trajectory of history is leading to….. 5He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6to the praise of the glory of His grace, (not to his justice, not to his power, not to his vengeance) which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

Remember when we were studying John…

Christ kept saying the following, “The hour of my glorification had not come yet.” The hour of my glorification is coming,” “The hour of my glorification has come….”

God shows his abundant goodness, glory, and mercy in Christ forever in the cross and resurrection in which he provides rescue from our sin by his kindness to whoever who receives him.

The covenant loyalty, and mercy of God to his people through the years I believe is the memory of God’s abundant goodness that David is thinking about and that he personally experienced even through his reign as king.

• So, what can we do we when we are struggling to be enamored by God?

• Like David remember the goodness of God’s mercy and how he showed his abundant kindness to his people

• Join a small group Bible study to learn more about the merciful works of God to his people.

• The Exodus

• Or David’s life

• In Christ toward his disciples and your life personally

• Make known God’s mighty mercy in your life.

• Inductive Bible Study options

• Baptist Church History

Out of a heart overflowing with the greatness of God and his grace toward his people, the mouth will speak….

Finally, The enamored heart:

III. Overflows with proclamation of God’s greatness for the purpose of edification and evangelism (vv. 1-2, 21)

The movement of the Psalm is from individual blessing the Name of the Lord

¹I will extol You, my God, O King,

And I will bless Your name forever and ever.

²Every day I will bless You,

And I will praise Your name forever and ever.

Will you make it your goal to start every day blessing the Lord?

Then as you consider the abundant goodness of the Lord, eagerly utter his goodness to others so that other brothers and sisters in Christ.

See the Psalmist proclaims to the godly ones who are invited to join in the praise.

¹⁰All Your works shall give thanks to You, O Lord,

And Your godly ones shall bless You.

This is what the Stewardship Celebration is about every year. The godly ones…our church family together praising our Lord for his abundant goodness and mercy that he has shown sinners like us.

• That could be one application of this Psalm is join with us on September 20^th at 5pm at the Tippecanoe County Fair Grounds as we give gratitude to God for all his works in our church family.

I have enjoyed seeing people in our church family joyful as they have taken their own pictures…and had fun sharing the joy of living with the our King and God’s Kingdom in mind.

• Each picture is a portrait of a thankful heart. A great example of what growing in gospel gratitude looks like.

• They want all flesh…even the bad guys to bless the Lord.

(INSERT PICTURE)

• I know what some of you are thinking…I know all flesh should praise the Lord…but what about the fleshless…

• We are seeking to reach those people to…

(INSERT PICTURE)

Some people’s heart’s are so exuberant and thankful its getting them in trouble…

(INSERT PICTURES)

Now, in light of those of us who have experienced the greatness of our God’s grace and abundant goodness…

Look at verse 21 from Psalm 145…again…the book ends of this Psalm…²¹My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,

So all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.

Application:

• Share the gospel

• Faith Church Family. Are hearts are exuberant and thankful for this time of the year and many opportunities we get to tell of Christ’s goodness and greatness to others.

• Trunk or Treat Oct 29^th 4PM to 6PM

• Christmas for Everyone

• Taste of Christmas

• Living Nativity

Pray. Hearts that are enamored with God’s greatness, remember the reason for his greatness, proclaim his greatness as we are a people who have experienced the greatness of his mercy.

[TRANSITION – HIS MERCY IS MORE]