Psalms 145:7

They shall abundantly utter the memory of Thy great goodness.

The philosophy and propriety of abundant praise

This is called David’s psalm of praise; all through it he is inflamed by strong desire that God may be greatly magnified.

I. The method of securing the abundant utterance of the Divine praise concerning His goodness. Our text gives the mental philosophy of such praise, and shows the plan by which it may be secured.

1. By careful observation. “They shall abundantly utter the memory of Thy great goodness.” Now, in order to memory there must first be observation. If we want to remember His goodness we must let it strike us, we must notice it, consider it. Too many fail to notice that the goodness they receive is God’s goodness. They put it down to other causes. If we are willing to see it we shall not lack for opportunities. It is everywhere. David notices especially its greatness. And this evident if we consider those who receive it. What have we done to deserve it? And then, the greatness of God the benefactor. “What is man that Thou art mindful of him?” And then the evil from which it rescues us; and the actual greatness of the benefits bestowed He giveth like a King; nay, He giveth like a God. Observe the goodness of God carefully for your soul’s good.

2. By diligent memory. Memory collects facts and afterwards recollects them. The matters before us are recorded by memory, but the tablet may be mislaid; the perfection of memory is to preserve the tablet in a well-known piece, from which you can fetch it forth at the moment. How are we to strengthen our memory as to God’s goodness? Be acquainted with the documents in which His goodness is recorded. Observe the memorials, baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Treasure up your own personal experience. I have heard that the science of mnemonics, or the strengthening of the memory, lies in the following of certain methods. According to some, you link one idea with another: you recollect a date by associating it with something that you can see. Practise this method in the present case. Associate it with the objects around you. Let your bed remind you of God’s mercy in the night watches, and your table of His goodness in supplying your daily needs. All around us there are memoranda of God’s love if we choose to read them. There is the old arm-chair where you wrestled with God in great trouble, and received a gracious answer: you cannot forget it; you do not pray as well anywhere else as there. That thumbed Bible--that particular one I mean, all marked and worn, out of which the promises have gleamed forth like the stars in the heavens. Oh for a clear remembrance of the goodness of God. Classification is another help. Also making notes of things. You know the day in which you lost that money, do you not? The Black Friday or Black Monday up in the City; you have indelible notes of such things in your memory. Have like ones of notable benefits that you have received. Then, besides observation and memory, let there be-3. Utterance. “They shall abundantly utter.” The word contains the idea of boiling up or bubbling like a fountain. It signifies a holy fluency about the mercies of God. We have quite enough fluent people about, but they are many of them idlers for whom Satan finds abundant work. The Lord deliver us from the noise of fluent women; but it matters not how fluent they are if it be on the topic now before us. Open your mouths; let the praise pour forth. Be so occupied constantly. “Abundantly” means that. Just as the singers in the temple repeated over and over again, “His mercy endureth for ever.” Your memory will lose strength unless you utter what you know. Then--

4. Sing. “And shall sing of Thy righteousness.” Parnassus is outdone by Calvary; the Castilian spring is dried and Jesu’s wounded side has opened another fount of song. Lift up, then, your music till the golden harps shall find themselves outdone.

II. The motives for such praise.

1. We cannot help it. “If these should hold their peace,” etc. “Oh,” said one in his first love, “I must speak, or I shall burst.”

2. Other voices are clamorous to drown all such praise.

3. It will do you such good. The past, the present, the future will all be lit up with delight if we are wont thus to praise God. We shall find nothing to grumble at or complain about, but everything to rejoice in.

4. And it does such good to other people. “While here our various wants we mourn, united groans ascend on high”--so says Dr. Watts, and I fear truly; but very few will be attracted by such utterances. Is it good reasoning if men say, “These people are so miserable that they must be on the way to heaven”? We may hope they are, for they evidently want some better place to live in; but then it may be questioned if such folks would not be wretched anywhere. We have glorious reasons for being happy; let us be so, and soon we shall hear persons asking, “What is this? Is this religion? I always thought religious people were mournful people.” There is a blessed seductiveness in a holy happy life. And such happy utterance will help much to comfort others. Many are sorrowing from various causes: therefore be happier than ever you were. That venerable man of God, now in heaven, our dear old father Dransfield, when it was a very foggy morning in November, used always to come into the vestry before the sermon and say, “It is a dreary morning, dear pastor; we must rejoice in the Lord more than usual. I hope we shall have a very happy service to-day.” He would shake hands with me and smile, till he seemed to carry us all into the middle of summer. Lastly, let us thus praise, because it is the way in which God is glorified. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

The goodness of God

Have you not known and felt the presence of that Being, whose Infinitude is not only displayed in power and wisdom, but also in Love? Remember the sweet hours of childhood, when the clear, blue sky of day, and the dark blue sky of night opened upon you like the eyes of your preserving angel. Think how a thousand reflections of the Eternal goodness have played around you, from heart to heart, from eye to eye of mankind, as one light shines from sun to sun and from world to world throughout the universe. (Jean Paul Richter.)

Memory of God’s goodness salutary

Augustine tells of one to whom God was so wonderfully kind, and the man was so wonderfully bad, that at last he grew astonished at God’s goodness, and since the Lord continued to load him with benefits, he turned round and cried, “Most benignant God, I am ashamed of being Thine enemy any longer. I confess my sin and repent of it.”