Psalms 71:14

But I.. . will yet praise Thee more and more.

More and more

When sin conquered the realm of manhood, it slew all the minstrels except those of the race of Hope. For humanity, amid all its sorrows and sins, hope sings on. To believers in Jesus there remains a royal race of bards, for we have a hope of glory, a lively hope, a hope eternal and divine.

I. Our first business shall be, to urge ourselves to this resolution.

1. It is humbling to remember that we may very well praise God more than we have done, for we have praised Him very little as yet. What we have done, as believers, in glorifying God falls far, far short of His due.

2. Another argument which presses upon my mind is this: that wherein we have praised God up till now, we have not found the service to be a weariness to ourselves, but it has ever been to us both a profit and a delight. I would not speak falsely even for God, but I bear my testimony that the happiest moments I have ever spent have been occupied with the worship of God. I have never been so near heaven as when adoring before the eternal throne. I think every Christian will bear like witness.

3. We ought surely to praise God more to-day than at any other previous day, because we have received more mercies. Even of temporal favours we have been large partakers. Begin with these, and then rise higher.

4. We have been proving through a series of years the faithfulness, immutability, and veracity of our God--proving these attributes by our sinning against God, and their bearing the strain of our misbehaviour--proving them by the innumerable benefits which the Lord has bestowed upon us. Shall all this experience end in no result? Shall there be no advance in gratitude where there is such an increase of obligation? God is so good that every moment of His love demands a life of praise.

5. It should never be forgotten that every Christian as he grows in grace should have a loftier idea of God. Our highest conception of God falls infinitely short of His glory, but an advanced Christian enjoys a far clearer view of what God is than he had at the first, Now, the greatness of God is ever a claim for praise. “Great is the Lord, and”--what follows?--“greatly to be praised.” If, then, God is greater to me than He was, let my praise be greater.

6. It is a good reason for praising God more that we are getting nearer to the place where we hope to praise Him, world without end, after a perfect sort.

II. Let us in the Spirit’s strength drive away that which hinders us from praising God more and more.

1. One of the deadliest things is dreaminess, sleepiness. A Christian readily falls into this state. I notice it even in the public congregation. Very often the whole service is gone through mechanically. A sleepy seraph before the throne of Jehovah, or a cherub nodding during sacred song, it were ridiculous to imagine. And shall such an insult to the majesty of heaven be seen on earthy No! Let us say to all that is within us, “Awake! awake!”

2. The next hindrance would be divided objects. We cannot, however we may resolve, praise God more and more, if, as we grow older, we allow this world to take up our thoughts. If I say, “I will praise God more and more,” and yet I am striking out right and left with projects of amassing wealth, or I am plunging myself into greater business cares unnecessarily, my actions belie my resolutions.

3. To rest on the past is another danger as to this matter.

III. Let us apply ourselves to the practical carrying out of this resolution. How shall I begin to praise God more and mercy Earnestness says: “I shall undertake some fresh duty this afternoon.” Stop just a minute. If you want to praise God, would not it be as well first to begin with yourself? The musician said: “I will praise God better”; but the pipes of his instrument were foul; he had better look to them first. If the strings have slipped from their proper tension, it will be well to correct them before beginning the tune. No; prepare yourself; make your heart ready. Thou needest the Spirit’s aid to make thy soul fit for praising God. Go then to thy chamber, confess the sins of the past, and ask the Lord to give thee much more grace that thou mayest begin to praise Him. These inner matters being considered, let us go on to increase our actual and direct service of God. Let us quicken our speed. Or suppose we are already doing so much that all the time we can possibly spare is fully occupied, let us do what we do better. We should praise God much more if we threw more of His praise into our common conversation--if we spoke more of Him when we are by the way or when we sit in the house. We should praise Him more and more if we fulfilled our consecration, and obeyed the precept, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” (C. H. Spurgeon.)