Appropriate to Praise
Psalms 147:1-20 Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely. The Scripture here tells us to praise the Lord, and Psalm 147 recommends this duty. A song of praise that both tell
s us to praise and gives us reasons that the Lord is worthy of all our worship and honor. If anyone is worthy to be commended, it’s the Lord.
It’s good to praise our God, the Lord Jehovah It’s a good thing to sing praises. It’s good in and of itself. God commands praise, so it’s a moral good to lift up the voice in song. It’s good for us because it blesses the soul. It’s good for our minds because we are taught and learn about God through singing songs. It’s good for the church to sing.
It is pleasant to sing praises to God. I love listening to music; hearing live music is one of my favorite pastimes. I had the privilege of hearing Handel’s Messiah (if you have never been, I highly recommend it). How wonderful it was to hear the Scripture set to beautiful music and sung by a talented choir! It was, in every way, agreeable and pleasing to the ears, the mind, and the soul. But it’s also pleasant to praise the Lord in the house of God with my fellow saints. Some of my favorite times have been playing music and singing hymns with my friends and brothers and sisters in Christ.
It’s appropriate to sing praises to God. Starting in the second verse, Psalm 147 provides many reasons to praise God. He heals the brokenhearted. He is great power and unlimited knowledge. He created and sustains this universe. He provides for man and beast. The LORD himself takes pleasure in His people who hope in His mercy. The Lord treats us better than we deserve. The wages of sin is death, even eternal death, and that’s what we rightly have coming to us. But God, who is rich in mercy, sent His only begotten Son into the sin-cursed world, that all who come to Him and rest in Christ will have everlasting life. Jesus lived for us, and He died for us. The guilty sinner can be forgiven; the vilest offender can be made clean. The sinful wretch justified, and the broken sinner glorified. Indeed, it is fitting to sing praises to our God.
Even though God commands us to praise Him, and obedience has benefits, it’s still a law. You won’t find salvation by keeping it or gain acceptance by doing it. Even though it is good, there is no good news here. Going to Sunday morning meeting won’t save you. The good news is there is forgiveness of sins and eternal life in the person of Jesus Christ and that we are saved by grace, not the works of the law. Praise the LORD! It’s fitting for someone who has received it to praise God for such salvation.