1 Chronicles 29:13

THANKS AND PRAISE

‘Now therefore, our God, we thank Thee, and praise Thy glorious name.’

1 Chronicles 29:13

Let us consider our text in the following way:—

I. There is the argument for praise.—‘Now therefore.’ This brings us, of course, clearly back to the beginning of the prayer. David begins: ‘Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine; Thine is the Kingdom, O Lord, and Thou art exalted as Head above all.’ Notice (a) the first argument for praise which we see in these words: David recognised the personality of God. Take away the personality of God, and what have you left? See how David thinks on this occasion: ‘Blessed be Thou, our Father, for ever and ever’; (b) and so we see a second argument for praise, namely, the perfections of God. You notice He is spoken of as our Father. Here, then, is an argument for our praise, that in Christ we sinful men and women—and none of us knows the extent of our sin—are permitted not only to have our forgiveness assured, but we are brought into perfect relationship with our Triune God. Then notice the other perfections: ‘Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty.’ The more we study our God as He is revealed to us in the Scriptures, the more will our hearts well up in praise unto Him. (c) David points out another argument for praise, the perpetuity of God: ‘For ever and ever.’ Our God never can change. He is for ever and ever eternally the same. Is not that an argument for praise? (d) There is another great argument, and this is brought out very clearly by David: ‘Thou art exalted as Head above all.’ Hence the pre-eminence of God is an argument for praise. Our God is pre-eminently the Highest of the high, the King of kings, Lord of lords. (e) Notice once more: David writes that the Providence of God is an argument for praise. He points out that if he had collected this wonderful, almost fabulous, amount of wealth for the building of the Temple, it was, after all, only because God had provided it. God had led the people to give, God had inclined their heart to give willingly. (f) Then notice, David brings out another argument for praise in the poverty of man. He says, ‘Who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer?’ We are paupers. Whatever we have we have of Him, through Him. Were it not for His grace which David magnified in this prayer, and which is another argument for praise, we should not be where we are to-day.

II. Let us notice the analysis of praise: ‘Now therefore, our God, we thank Thee.’ Thankfulness comes from thoughtfulness, and we say, ‘Praise Thy glorious Name.’ Praise is the price or value we put upon God; hence the old English word ‘appraiser,’ a man who puts a price on goods. When we think of our God, oh, what cannot He do! (a) We will praise Him first for His pardon—a present perfect one: ‘Thy sin and iniquities will I remember no more.’ (b) Then praise Him for His righteousness, the imputed righteousness of Jesus. (c) Then we thank Him for His acceptance. He has accepted us. (d) We praise Him for His inheritance. As a loving Father He lavishes His gifts upon His children, temporal, spiritual, physical. (e) We praise Him because He calls us into His service. Earthly people think it a high honour to serve an earthly king, to be an ambassador for a king. Look at us going forth with a message of reconciliation as ambassadors, proclaiming to the world, ‘Be ye reconciled to God.’ (f) We will praise Him for His exceeding grace. Some day we shall understand that that loving Father of ours, Who sent a Saviour to die for us, is just simply anxious to give all to us on one solitary line of argument—that is, the argument of grace. It is because we are nothing and doing nothing that He will give everything.

III. In conclusion, I touch on the absorption of praise: ‘And praise Thy glorious Name.’ The Name of God—study it; it reveals His character. Let us praise His Name—(a) His nature; (b) His attributes; (c) His mercies; (d) His eternity.

IV. But there is an anxious inquiry.—Are we praising Him? It is perfectly clear that if the Spirit of God works a work in us He does two things: He brings us down, first of all—down from our idea of ourselves to the very lowest point. And then He lifts us up. Oh! if I see the depth into which I have gone through sin, and then I see the height to which I am attained, shall I not praise Him?

—Rev. W. R. Mowll.

Illustration

‘David here exercises a priestly function. He voices the joy of his own heart and that of his people in a psalm of great beauty. It first ascribes all inherent excellencies to Jehovah, and recognises His throne and kingdom. Then it recognises that all the riches and honour which men possess are from Him. Thus it acknowledges the fitness of their giving of their best to Him, and at the same time confesses that their very gifts have first been received from Him.’