Turn, if you will, in your Bibles to Psalm 148. We're drawing to a close, probably around mid-May. We should finish our study of the last half of the Psalms. Psalm 148, hear again the word of the Lord. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from the heavens. Praise Him in the heights. Praise Him, all His angels. Praise Him, all His hosts. Praise Him, sun and moon. Praise Him, all you shining stars. Praise Him, you highest heavens and you waters above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for He commanded and they were created. and he established them forever and ever. He gave a decree, and it shall not pass away. Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures in all deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word. Mountains and hills, fruit trees and all cedars, beasts and all livestock, creeping things and flying birds, kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth, young men and maidens together, old men and children. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted. His majesty is above earth and heaven. He has raised up a horn for his people. Praise for all his saints, for the people of Israel who are near to him. Praise the Lord. This evening I just have a few remarks on our passage. This evening we'll be looking at three things. First, how it is that God garners praise from all. Secondly, his reminder to us of his power and the permanence of his word, and third, those redeemed ought most to praise him. As this psalm and these last series of psalms are concerned with this matter of praise, Here we see this is first and foremost before us this evening. Again, the call at the beginning and the call at the end as we've seen in the preceding Psalms is that we would praise the Lord. And the reason I began with those scripture readings this evening is both Psalm 104 and Genesis 1 lay out how it is that God brought about the creation of all things by the power of his word. And here we see that just as in that creation account we see the beginnings here of his praise stemming from even those that are in the highest and loftiest mounts that even the heavens of God declare his praise. And we know from the Psalms that this is the case. We're reminded as we sing the Psalms that the heavens declare the glory of God. And so here the psalmist begins with the command, praise the Lord from the heavens. That this one who has created all things, this one who spoke them all into being deserves, yea, even demands the praise from all of his creatures. This is important for us. Though we may not be sitting at present in the loftiest of heavens, it is a reminder that it doesn't matter whether you occupy the places of highest import or the furthest depths beneath. Our God is demanding of and rightfully deserves our praise. You see, in our sinfulness, we can sometimes have that wrong approach to the worship of God that it isn't something that I need. When I used to go on mission trips over to Australia, I remember the pastors there describing the situation in the church in Australia. And this was back almost 20 years ago. And they said, sadly in our nation, The church is viewed as that place for women and children. And the men, rather than gathering to worship God, are worshipping Australian rules football. Or they're sitting in the tavern, worshipping another spirit before it goes down. And here we see the call of God through His psalmist is that all would praise him from the heavens to the depths. All that he has created shall praise him. We don't outgrow it. Children, this may be a temptation for you to think that this is something that you do as kids, but it isn't something that you would continue as you get older. But if you ask anyone who is older that is here, they can attest to you that it doesn't work that way. Praise God that that's the case. But as he is pleased to work within us, we grow more and more moved to worship him as we get older, because we grow more and more aware to how insufficient we are, how weak we are, how needy we are. and how dependable He is, how faithful He is, such that we run to Him, even when we are old, as His little children seeking the shelter of His wing. He moves on into the second portion of this, having already addressed the heavens, the heights, His angels and the hosts, To then giving proof here that even those things which he has created attest and give him praise. The sun, the moon, the shining stars and highest heavens. All of these things, praise God, all of these things reflect the goodness of God and thus are standing even for us as a witness of God's great power. and might and wisdom and of his faithfulness as he sustains all of these things which he has brought into being. But then he moves into this next where he reminds us of the power of his word. He says, let them praise the name of the Lord, in verse 5, for he commanded and they were created and he established them forever and ever. He gave a decree and it shall not pass away. One of the beauties of God's creation is that it is orderly, that God didn't set up his creation in a happen-chance way that is unpredictable and unreliable. And this again is a loving expression of our creator God, that he has created the sun to know its time of coming up and going down again, that we might know the length of the day, that we might anticipate its coming, that he has given us the moon to lay out the seasons, that we might have the courage of knowing that that Pennsylvania winter can't last forever, that new life is coming. that God still reigns and that everything is operating as He has created it. But beyond this expression through creation, Again, one of the comforts to us is that as the creation is maintaining that order which he established by the power of his word, which brought it all into being, the power of the spoken word. It gives us confidence to believe in this, his revealed word. which He has spoken for our direction in all matters of faith and life. That just as that sun is dependable to come up again tomorrow, so God's Word is dependable for us today, tomorrow, and in the years to come. And we need that because so much of the other things that we hear So many of the things that are being taught by those who are of the world do not last. Man's wisdom changes. His philosophies come and go. But the word of God stands forever. And again, this is a comfort to you and I As we face difficulties in this life as well. That we might have the security of knowing again that those promises that he has made will be fulfilled. There is no question. And we need that comfort. We need that reassurance. We see pictured here in these things. That attentive love of our Heavenly Father for his children. Many of you have been parents and you can remember those early days of your child when bedtime would come. And in those early years how they dreaded the darkness. And so you got them the little nightlight or you left the hall light on the door cracked that they might be made more comfortable and confident as they would drift into sleep. Well, here we see from the evidences within God's creation, from the dependability of that which he has set into motion, from the predictability of it, from the promises that he has been pleased to give us, that our Heavenly Father, knowing our frailty, our weaknesses, our needs, our fears, has in much the same way, through his word, been leaving that light on for us. That we might be able to face our fears of this life, whether they be a virus, whether they be economics, whether they be the fears as our life draws toward an end and that last big challenge that we will face before being welcomed into the arms of our loving Savior. After he turns his attention from the heights we see that he brings it down to the earth. We see here that he says now even the mountains and the hills, the fruit trees, the beasts, the creeping things, all should praise him. But then we see that all mankind is charged to praise God. And that they don't is to their own detriment. That the kings of the earth don't recognize their rightful king in head, Jesus Christ, is folly. And it ultimately will yield their condemnation. Kings of the earth, all peoples, princes and rulers of the earth, young men, maidens together, old men and children. All are called by God to praise him. No one is outside of that responsibility to praise the one who has created them. Their creator deserves and ye demands their praise. But he doesn't end with just a general you all should praise. He reminds us at the very end of this psalm that those who have been made new again, those who are now in Christ, a part of that new creation, meaning those who have enjoyed the benefits of Christ, whose hearts have been made new above all else, should be first and foremost ready, willing, eager to praise his name. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted. His majesty is above the heavens. He has raised up a horn for his people. And those of us whom God has been pleased to lay hold of. And who, through Christ, he has been pleased to open our eyes, enliven our minds, unstop our ears. And who can Begin to fathom the greatness of our God's love. As he would send his only begotten son into the world to save a people who was rightly condemned for their sin and rebellion against him. We have been pleased to hear the horn of God. As Christ came forth and was used of God to assemble from throughout the world a people to be his people, to occupy his pews, to fill his churches, to be an expression of his wonderful order found and realized in Christ. And in the church of Jesus Christ, where they stand as a foretaste of what is to come, a foretaste of heaven, where we will be with our creator forevermore, where we will sing his praises without ceasing for all eternity, where we will reflect once again as we did when He created us and all was very good. The light, the glory of God. And so it is our great delight at the end of this day to gather in recognition of what He has done, he is doing and with confidence in what he will do and has promised to do. That we might go forth from this place tonight ready to do his will, ready to testify of Christ as he would give us an opportunity. That Lord's Day by Lord's Day, the praise of the Lord will grow ever louder throughout all of creation, starting here in Patterson, throughout the great state of Pennsylvania, Commonwealth, throughout the nation of the United States, and every nation of the world. And so may God use you this week. As you have so many wonderful and beautiful reminders of God's wonderful life-giving work here in Western PA, speak of Christ to the comfort of his people, the encouragement of them. and to the good of those who presently are wandering in darkness in need of Christ's most glorious light. Amen. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you again for these wonderful reminders of what it is you have done and this reminder of our wonderful privilege and opportunity to worship and praise you. Lord, your splendor abounds. The evidences of your mighty arm and your mighty word are ever present with us. And so, Lord, may we go forth better prepared to declare your glory at every opportunity. Use us, Lord, to the glory of your name and the building of your church. And we give you thanks for these things which you have done in and through our Savior and your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen. Let's stand to sing.