Now we're going to look for a
few moments at Psalm 148 and it's amazing the little nuggets
that the Lord puts in these psalms and over the last three and a
half years we've been blessed to go through almost every one
of these 150 psalms, getting close to the end now. There's
maybe one or two psalms that we bypassed because of my Puniness
to expound the text I felt unable to do so but Most of the Psalms
that we've have looked at Let me reflect rephrase that
all the Psalms that we've looked at have been a blessing unto
us Psalm 148 is no different I'm entitling the message from
the words found in verse 14. Let's read verse 14 one more
time. He exalteth the horn of his people, the praise or the
glory of all his saints, even the children of Israel are people
near unto him. Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye
the Lord. The title of the message is Near
to the Lord. near to the Lord God's people
are They're no longer estranged by sin. Our sin has separated
us from God says in Isaiah But now we're made nigh unto God
By the blood of Christ God's people are truly near to him
Because they're one with Christ They're not only near to Him,
but they're also dear unto Him. Near and dear. He loved the church and gave
Himself for His church. God's people are near and dear
unto Him. You remember back in Psalm 147
verse 11, look there. The Lord taketh pleasure in them
that fear Him, in those that hope. His mercy he takes pleasure
in his people and then looking forward Psalm 149 look verse
4 the Lord taketh pleasure in his people he will beautify the
meek with salvation the Lord's people are near unto him and
dear unto him he loved the church and gave himself for it he died
he laid down his life for his covenant people here in his love
not that we love God but that he loved us and sent his son
to be the sacrifice for our sin. Now again we see this Psalm like
the other concluding Psalms this Psalm again calls for us to praise
the Lord all the creation of the heavenly host are to honor
and praise and exalt him and all those among this earth are
to praise the Lord. He is truly worthy of all worship,
all honor, and all glory. Remember from Revelation, worthy
is the lamb that was slain to receive all honor, glory, and
blessing both now and forever. Now, verse 1 and 2 again, Praise
ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens.
Praise Him in the heights. praise Him all His angels, praise
Him all His hosts, all the heavenly hosts, all the hosts of heavenly
angels are called upon to praise and honor and magnify the Lord
Jesus Christ. You remember from our study in
Hebrews chapter 1 where God instructs the angels let all the angels
of God worship Him all the heavenly host God will have all the heavenly
host honor and worship the Lord Jesus Christ in Luke chapter
2 when the shepherds came calling
there was a multitude of the heavenly host praising God saying
glory to God in the highest peace on earth goodwill toward men
Repeatedly through the Psalms the Lord is called as it says
there All ye his host he is called the Lord of hosts the Lord of
hosts heavenly hosts Turn back to Psalm 89 Psalm 89 verse 8
Psalm 89 verse 8 Praise him all ye heavenly hosts Psalm 89. He's called the Lord God of hosts.
Many times through the book of Psalms we've seen this same statement.
Look at verse 8, Psalm 89. O Lord God of hosts, who is a
strong Lord like unto thee, or to thy faithfulness round about
thee? He's the Lord God of all creation. All creation. Now back to the
text. Look at verse 3, down through
verse 6. Praise ye him, sun and moon. Praise him, all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens,
and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the
name of the Lord. For he commanded and they were
created. He spake and it was done. He commands And it stood fast. In the beginning God created
the heavens and the earth. He spoke all things into existence
by the word of His power. For He commanded and they were
created. He also established them forever. He hath made a decree which shall
not pass away. God's word, His command, His
decree doesn't change because He does not change. All the Lord's heavenly creation
are commanded to praise the Lord. They do not fail because the
Lord does not fail them. He is Preserver as well as Creator,
Ruler as well as Maker. Remember from Colossians chapter
1? By him all things were made, by him and for him, and by him
all things consist. They're held together. We've
studied from Hebrews chapter 1 where it says that he sustains
all things by the word of his power. He created all things. He's the preserver of all His
creation. And created by the decree of
God. Established by the decree of
God. Maintained by the decree of God. The decrees of God are unfailing,
aren't they? The decrees of God are unchanging. He said, I am the Lord. I change
not. Remember from Isaiah 46, God
said, I've spoken it. I'll bring it to pass. I've purposed
it. I will also do it. God's decrees, His mandates,
His command. It shall not fail. It shall not change. Not at all. Now look at verse
7 down to verse 10. I'm working my way down to verse
14. Verse 7 down to verse 10. Praise
ye the Lord from the earth now. He calls all the heavenly hosts
to praise the Lord, and all of the creation to praise the Lord,
and then it says for the earth to praise the Lord. Praise the
Lord from the earth, those among or upon the earth, ye dragons,
the deep sea creatures, and all deeps, fire, hail, snow, vapor,
stormy wind Fulfilling his word the stormy wind Fulfills his
word mountains and hills fruitful trees and cedars beasts and all
cattle creeping things flying things and then he gets down
to the Kings of the earth verse 11 All the Lord's earthly creation
are commanded to praise the Lord. You remember from Psalm 147,
verse 15, He sendeth forth His commandment upon the earth, His
word runneth very swiftly. He giveth snow like wool, He
scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes, He casteth forth His ice,
Like morsels who can stand before His cold, He sends out His Word
and melts them. He causes His wind to blow and
the waters to flow. God is a God of creation and
He's a God of all the elements. I get right perturbed when I
hear weathermen talking about Old Man Winter and Mother Nature.
God is creator of all things. He sends His snow. He sends His
wind, the ice, the storm. I like this phrase, the stormy
wind fulfilling His word. March 2nd last year, some folks
in Eastern Kentucky got a taste of a stormy wind, that tornado. In the book of Nahum, We read
this, the Lord will have his way in the whirlwind. It's his wind. He sends the wind,
it says in the book of Psalms, out of his treasury. He has a
treasure house full of wind and sometimes he opens the door and... But it's fulfilling his word.
It's fulfilling his word. Last but not least, he talks
about man, kings of the earth, and all people, princes, and
all judges, both young men, maidens, old men, children. Let them praise
the name of the Lord, for His name alone is excellent. His
glory is above the heavens. God created all things, and then
that last day, the seventh, sixth day rather, He created man, in
his image, in his own likeness. God created Adam upright and
holy. We know the sad story. Adam fell,
plunged all of us into sin and ruin. But all people of our race,
even in our fallen, sinful, guilty condition, are to praise the
Lord and give Him all the honor and glory he mentions there in
verse 11 kings of the earth and princes and all people judges
of the earth they rule I wonder how many rulers realize this
they rule by the Lord's decree he sets them up and he brings
them down according to His own will. They rule by His decree. They're in His hand to do, in
His hand to do with them what He sees fit. Remember Proverbs
21, the King's heart is in the hand of the Lord. As the rivers
of water, He turneth it whithersoever He will. Remember the story of
King Nebuchadnezzar? He thought he was really something.
He thought he was somebody, this great Babylon that I've built. Well God put him out in the pasture
and he took his understanding away from him and he became like
a wild beast. His hair, his claws, his fingernails
like claws and God just put him out there like a wild animal
and left him to himself and then one day God visited him and taught
him something of his character and Nebuchadnezzar testified
and said he doeth according to his will among the army of heaven
and among the habitants of this earth and none can stay his hand
or saying to him Lord God Almighty what doest thou? Maybe some of
the kings and judges of the earth in our day need to be put out
in the pasture for a while. The Lord God would teach them
that they rule by his decree he's not in their hand they are
in his hand he raises them up he promotes them not by chance
but by his purpose who sets kings up and puts them down at his
pleasure for it is by him kings reign and princes decree justice
by the Lord alone now look at verse 13 rather verse 12 both
young men And young women, old men and children, praise the name of the Lord.
You see, you kind of get the idea, everything is to praise
and honor our great God. He's worthy of it. The young
men, the young women, the old men and children, let them honor
the Lord. I think of this scripture. Sometime
when you are looking for something to read, read Ecclesiastes chapter
12. It talks about our youth and
then it talks about the frailties of the body and how the body
goes back to the dust and the spirit return them to the Lord.
But in verse 1 in Ecclesiastes 12, it says remember now thy
creator in the days of thy youth remember now right now While
the evil days come not Talking about the days of old age Nor
the years drawn I when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them
Those days are coming With this old body, the Lord's pleased
to let it tarry upon the earth. Old men, it mentions there, old
men, that is elders in the faith, old believers, ought to be an
example of encouragement to the young people about the blessedness
of the gospel in the way of grace in Christ Jesus. And to teach
the young people to praise the Lord and to honor the Lord. and
to encourage the young people to believe the gospel of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Older people ought to be an encouragement
to the young people. Shouldn't they? Well, certainly
they should. We shouldn't try to discourage
young people. We should encourage them in the
way of grace. Verse 13, let them praise the
name of the Lord for His name alone Now His name alone is exalted. The name of the Lord. Now we
could bring a whole message just on the name of the Lord. His
glory is above the earth. His glory is above the heaven. His name is excellent. And to us a child is born, a
son is given, and his government shall be upon his shoulders,
and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty
God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. His name
is excellent. Turn over here way back to Psalm
number 8. There's a reference there to
Psalm number 8. Verse 1, O Lord, our Lord, how
excellent is thy name in all the earth, who has set thy glory
above the heavens. His name is excellent above all
the earth. He has a most excellent name. God had given him a name which
is above every name, that at that name every knee shall bow,
every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory
of God the Father. There is none like unto the Lord. There's none like Him. He said,
I am God, beside me there is no other. There's none like the
Lord. None that for a moment can be
compared unto Him. His unique name has monopoly
on all praise. The Lord Jesus Christ, the name
of the Lord. He's Lord, not by something we
do. He's Lord by the eternal decree
of God. He is called the Lord Jesus,
who shall save His people from their sin. And He is the Lord
Jesus Christ. the anointed of God Almighty. His glory, it says in the text,
is above all the earth. Nothing in heaven or earth surpasses
His glory. Christ is called the brightness
of His glory, the express image of His person. The glory of God
shines where? In the face of the Lord Jesus
Christ. His glory is above the earth
and the heaven. And heaven. Now, look at verse
14. He also exalteth the horn of
his people. The Lord God Almighty has a people. These are a covenant people,
a chosen people, a redeemed people. He also exalteth the horn of
his people, the praise of all his saints, even the children
of Israel a people near unto him now praise ye the Lord now
we see at least five things in verse 14 let me give them to
you what he does we say first of all what he does for his people
he exalts his people secondly what he makes them he makes them
Saints. Who they are, they're called
children of Israel. Where they are, they're near
unto Him. And what they do, they praise
the Lord. Now let's see if we can work
on those five things for about 20 minutes. What the Lord does for His covenant
people. Now He has a people. He has a
people chosen by sovereign grace and given to the Lord Jesus Christ
in that eternal covenant of grace. The Lord has a people who were
chosen in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world.
And what does the Lord do for His covenant people? Everything. He saves them, redeems them,
and exalts them. You see what it says there? He
also exalteth the horn of His people. the power of his people. What is the power of his people
in salvation? It's Christ, isn't it? Not ashamed
of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ for it's the power of
God unto salvation. He exalts them and lifts them
in Christ who is the power and authority of our salvation. He exalts us in our head in our
representative. He exalts us in Christ Jesus. Look back at Psalm 147 verse
6. The Lord lifteth up the meek. He lifts us up. We were cast
down and cast out. He lifts us by the horn of salvation,
the Lord Jesus Christ. Out of the kingdom of darkness
into the kingdom of God's dear Son. It is Christ alone who does
this lifting, this exalting. Look back at Psalm 113. Psalm 113. Verse 7. He raises up the poor
out of the dust. He lifts the needy out of the
dunghill. Now, you know what a dunghill
is? It's a manure pile. He lifts us out of the dunghill
of sin and depravity and guilt, that he may set him with the
princes, even the princes of his people, exalted and lifted
and blessed in Christ Jesus. The only reason of our salvation
is found totally in him. The reason of mercy is found
in Him. The reason of grace is found in Him. The reason of love
is found in Him. We love Him only because He has
exalted us in Christ Jesus and called us out of darkness into
His marvelous light. So He exalts us in Christ. He exalteth His people. He lifts them up. Secondly, what
He makes them. What He makes them, His people.
The praise of all His saints. The glory of all His saints. Now, who is a saint? You look through the Bible and
it says, when you get over to the Gospels, it says, St. Matthew. And you get over
there to Luke and it says St. Luke. You get over there to John,
Mark, St. Mark, St. John. Those apostles were saints. I'm
going to shock you now. Every sinner saved by the grace
of God is a saint. That's right. Every sinner saved
by the grace of God is a saint. What the Lord makes those people
that He lifts from the dunghill of sin, He makes them saints. Sinners are made saints in Christ
Jesus. You're looking at Saint Thomas. You didn't know I was a saint,
did you? I'm looking at some saints out there. Saint Lyman,
Saint David, You see, believers are sanctified
in the Lord. That's what a saint is. Set apart
by the Lord. They're sanctified. Every believer
is a saint. Now, this will help you. It's
been a few years since we've been over this, but we've done
this before, but it'll be a help to you. We are sanctified in
Christ Jesus. Now, find the book of Revelation,
and then the little book of Jude right before it. Jude, we say
chapter 1, Jude 1 verse 1. Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ,
brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father,
set apart by God the Father, preserved in Jesus Christ and
called. So we're sanctified first of
all by God the Father. He set us apart in that eternal
covenant of grace. Secondly, find first Christians
chapter 1 1st Corinthians chapter 1 1st Corinthians chapter 1 we
are sanctified by the Lord Jesus Christ by the one offering he
has perfected forever them that are sanctified remember Hebrews
10 14 1st Corinthians chapter 1 look at verse 2 under the church
of God which is at Corinth 1st Corinthians chapter 1 verse 2
to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus and called saints. You see that? They're called
saints. The two words to be I left out on purpose. They've been
added. I think it detracts from it.
The sanctified in Christ Jesus called saints with all that in
every place call upon the name of the Lord both theirs and ours. We're sanctified in Christ Jesus. sanctify them by thy truth thy
word is truth John 17 17 and then thirdly turn to Romans we
have it right there in front of you Romans there 15 Romans
15 16 were sanctified by God the Holy Spirit sanctified by
God the Father set apart in that eternal covenant break sanctified
by the Lord Jesus Christ his redeeming blood called saints
in Christ Jesus and in Romans 15 verse 16 Romans 15 verse 16
were sanctified by the Holy Spirit Verse 16 said that I should be
a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles ministering the
gospel of God that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable
acceptable being sanctified by the Holy Spirit Now I want you
to look at one other scripture. We've seen this many times. 2nd
Thessalonians chapter 2. Those who were sanctified, how
can I tell if I've been sanctified? If I've been set apart by the
Father, sanctified by that one offering the Lord Jesus Christ
has made for His people, covenant people, and sanctified by the
Holy Spirit, how can I know? Is it some kind of feeling that
we seek for? Or some kind of experience that
we seek for? 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 13. Here's how we know. We are bound
to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of
the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation
through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. Those who were sanctified by
the Holy Spirit believe the truth, the true gospel, whereunto he
called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our
Lord Jesus Christ. Those sanctified, those saints,
sinners, saved by God's grace, they believe the truth. The truth
about who God is, holy. The truth about the way of salvation,
grace alone. the truth of who the Lord Jesus
Christ is and what He accomplished, the truth of what we are before
God by nature, sinners, and what He makes us by His grace, saints. Saints. And then thirdly, we
find out back in our text, Psalm 148, we find out who they are. They're not only called His people,
they're not only called saints, but they're called children of
Israel. children of Israel. Now not all
people back in ancient times, biblical Old Testament times,
not all people were considered the children of Israel. I mean
the Hittites, the Jebusites, the Malachites, the Hittites,
They had no claim on God. Not at all. They were not considered
the Israel of God, were they? They were not descendants of
Jacob. That's where the name Israel
comes from. Not all people were considered the children of Israel,
only the descendants of Jacob were. Even so, today, not all
people of the earth are children of God. You heard me right. Now that's
not what I was taught when I was a young boy in religion. I was
taught that God was the Father of all. That's not so. God is
the Creator of all. That is, He created Adam and
all descended from Adam. But God is not the God or God
is not the Father of all people. Even so, not all people of the
earth are called children of God. They're all part of his
creation in Adam, but only those chosen in Christ are the true
spiritual seed of Abraham. He took not hold of the fallen
angels, we're going to see Sunday in our Bible study from Hebrews
2, but he took hold of the seed of Abraham. And that's talking
about the spiritual children the spiritual seed of Abraham
those blessed in Christ Jesus turn to Galatians chapter 4 Galatians chapter 4 the scripture foreseeing that
God would justify the heathen through faith preached before
the gospel unto Abraham saying in thee To all nations be blessed
so then they which are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham
now I'm reading there from Galatians 3 I told you to turn to Galatians
4 I did this on purpose now I didn't misspeak here Galatians 4 4 but
when the fullness of time was come God sent forth his son made
of a woman made under the law to redeem them that were under
the law that we might receive the adoption of sons and Because
you are sons God sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your heart
crying, Abba, Father. So then they which be of faith
are blessed with faithful Abraham. In Christ shall all the seed
be called. Children of Israel, behold what
manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should
be called sons of God." Now, fourthly, back to the text. So they're His people, they're
His saints, they're the children of Israel. You remember Paul
said when he wrote to the Corinthians, he said, you are no more your
own, you're bought with a price. And they are people near unto
Him. That's the fourth point. They're
near unto Him. Now how near are they unto Him? One old hymn writer said this,
near unto God I am, nearer I cannot be, for in the person of his
son I am as near as he. Dear unto God I am, dear I cannot
be, for in the person of his son I am as dear as he. cleansed
before God I am, pure I cannot be, for now the loveliness of
Christ completely covers me." Dear and near unto God. Nearer I cannot be. You see what
he's saying there? In the person of his Son I'm
as near as he. A people near unto the Lord. Now let me give you several things
here. Near unto Christ by covenant union, by covenant relationship. He said, I and my Father are
one and he said that Christ and his people are one in him, John
17. Near unto Christ, secondly, by
kinship union. He is our kinsman, Redeemer. For as much as his children were
partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took
part of the same. Near unto Christ by covenant
union. Christ is in God. God is in Christ
and we're in Him. Near unto Christ by kinship union. Thirdly, near unto Christ by
access union. He said, come boldly unto the
throne of grace that you may obtain mercy. Find grace to help
in time of need. Boldness to enter into the holiest
by the blood of Christ. Near unto the Lord Jesus Christ
by an indwelling union Christ in you the hope of glory of people
near unto him Nearer nearer. I cannot be in the person of
his son. I'm as near as He now lastly
What they do Unto the Lord What does that
say there? Praise ye the Lord. What they do unto the Lord. Praise
the Lord. Look back at Psalm 147 verse
1. Praise ye the Lord for it is
good. It is good to sing praises unto
our God for praise is pleasant and praise is comely. It's right. It's proper. It is pleasant. That is our delight, to praise
and honor and worship Him. The Father seeketh such to worship
Him in spirit and in truth. That is our delight, to praise
the Lord. I'm embarrassed and ashamed that
I don't honor Him as I should. It's my desire, but I find a
lack of ability. It's my desire to do so, to honor
and to praise the Lord in my heart before God. Not to be seen
of men. God looks on the heart. This
is my story. This is my song. Praising my
Savior. Didn't we just sing that? Praising
the Savior all the day long. When Paul writes Philippians
3, he describes the true Israel of God. Same people that he's
talking about right here in verse 14. His people, His children,
His saints, the people near unto Him. The true Israel of God described
as those who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus,
and they have no confidence, they have no confidence in the
flesh. Worship God in the Spirit, rejoice
in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Now
one more scripture, this just came to mind. Turn to Isaiah
40 verse 11. near unto him how near Isaiah
40 verse 11 he shall feed his flock like a shepherd he shall
gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom that's
pretty near isn't it? I mean he carries us on his shoulder
and he gathers us in his arms but in his bosom were on his
heart and in him, and he gently leads those that are with young.
So believers do delight to praise the Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ.