Pastor Terry E. Zebulske
Grace Community Church
August 8, 2004
 
THE SHORTEST PSALM
(Psalm 117)
...Have you heard the expression, “good things come in _small__ packages?” This saying is certainly
    true with Psalm 117 which is a praise psalm of _one__ sentence.
...Our Bible is able to pack a lot of _teaching__ into a small place, like John 11:35.
...This short psalm is a profound _missionary__ psalm, for it is calling all people everywhere to praise God.
    God _deserves__ the praise of the whole world.
 
THREE STRIKING FEATURES OF THIS PSALM CALLING
ALL OF US TO PRAISE THE LORD.
I.     ALL  _PEOPLE__  EVERYWHERE ARE CALLED UPON TO SING PRAISE TO GOD. (V 1)
       A. The Psalms are the “Hebrew hymn book,” yet they were clearly given for _more__ than the small
             nation of Israel.
             ...In fact, from the Bible’s beginning, the Gospel was to be for the _whole__ world. (Gen 12:3)
       B. “Nations” are called...
            1. This is the word “goyim” and refers to the gentile nations.
            2. The word “peoples” refers to _smaller__ groups with a nation. This is wide diversity.
                ...This is _Biblical__ universalism, not the false universalism that is heard about today.
       C. _Heaven__ will be populated with people from all times, from every race, nation, and people.
            All because of Jesus!  See Revelation 7:9.
       D. When the Apostle Paul quotes this verse in Romans dealing with the issue of the weaker brother, he uses this text to make the case that _Gentiles__ are also included in the company of God’s people.
             (Romans 15:11)
       E. The Jews did have _advantages_. (Romans 3:2)  They had the _Bible__! (Romans 9:4-5)
            They had the covenants, the temple, the promises. The gentiles, before salvation, were lost and
             _without__ hope. (Eph 2:12)
            1. Jesus said, “_salvation__ is from the Jews.” (John 4:22)
            2. Gentile salvation “is the great _insight_ of Psalm 117.”
II.    GOD’S LOVE IS SO POWERFUL THAT IT  _PREVAILS__  OVER ALL OBSATCLES. (V2a)
        ...This is the first reason why Jews/Gentiles are to praise God!
        A. This idea is based upon the _favorite_ verse of the Jews who returned from exile. (Ex. 34:6)
            1. If those exiles who returned from Babylon were aware of God’s _love__, how much more should
                we? We who have come to know it through the atoning death of God’s son, Jesus.
            2. _John 3:16__ is the best known, loved, and memorized verse in the Bible. It is the Gospel!
        B. God’s love is called “great.”
            1. Usually this word means “superior, large.”
            2. But in Hebrew the sense is more of _prevailing__ over something else because of superior
                powers. Exodus 17:11 “Moses arms uplifted... Israel prevailed over...”
        C. The great _text__ expressing our Lord’s prevailing love is Romans 8:38-39
III.   GOD’S TRUTH ENDURES WITHOUT END. (V 2b)
         A. “Faithfulness” is actually the word “_Amen__.”
            1. This word can equally be translated “truth”, “steadfastness”, “reliability.”
            2. _Jesus_ spoke, “Amen, Amen I say to you.” We are to especially note when the Truth tells us
                two times something is truthful.
         B. This word was used of God as one of His attributes. He is _unshakable , and therefore He is faithful, dependable.
             ... “Heaven and earth will pass away, but our God and His Word endures forever.”
         C. Today a common use of “Amen” means we express our _agreement__ with what God says.
             By this, “Amen”, we are setting our _seal__ to the fact that God is truthful.
 
LESSONS FOR OUR LIVES:

1. Our church should reflect the people of our area.

2. God’s love for lost sinners will prevail.

3. God and His Word are faithful.

4. Have you received Christ as your Savior?  You must be born again.