Weekly Sermon
This sermon is a companion to two previous sermons: Blessed Be the Most High God - Genesis 14:19-20
The Most High Ruleth - Daniel 4:32
2 Samuel 22:14 reads, “The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice.” The Lord our God as the most high God does indeed utter His voice in this world. He does indeed involve Himself in the affairs of this world. Yea, the Lord our God as the most high God does indeed move and work in the midst of our lives. Even so, through a study within the book of the Psalms, let us consider seven characteristics of the Lord our God, the most high God, specifically in His relationship to His people and to this world.
This sermon is a companion to two previous sermons: Blessed Be the Most High God - Genesis 14:19-20
The Most High Ruleth - Daniel 4:32
2 Samuel 22:14 reads, “The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice.” The Lord our God as the most high God does indeed utter His voice in this world. He does indeed involve Himself in the affairs of this world. Yea, the Lord our God as the most high God does indeed move and work in the midst of our lives. Even so, through a study within the book of the Psalms, let us consider seven characteristics of the Lord our God, the most high God, specifically in His relationship to His people and to this world.
The Lord our God, the most high God, is mighty to deliver
The message of Psalm 18 is directly parallel to that of 2 Samuel 22. Psalm 18:13 is quite similar to 2 Samuel 22:14, saying, “The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.” Even so, in Psalm 18:1-19 David proclaimed, “I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire. The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire. Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them. Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils. He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me. They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay. He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.”
The Lord our God, the most high God, is mighty to deliver His faithful servants from the power of their enemies. First, He is mighty to deliver us from the eternal condemnation of our sins through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as our eternal Savior. Second, He is mighty to deliver us from the daily attacks of our adversary the devil as we submit ourselves unto Him and trust in the power of His might. Third, He is mighty to deliver us from the selfish desires of our sinful flesh through which we are tempted to commit sin. Fourth, He is mighty to deliver us from the spiritual corruption of our daily sins when we confess those sins with a broken and contrite heart of repentance. Finally, He is mighty to deliver us from the malicious hatred of this present evil world through which it persecutes the faithful servants of the Lord.
The Lord our God, the most high God, is merciful to bless
In Psalm 21:1-7 David proclaimed, “The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice! Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. Selah. For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head. He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever. His glory is great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou laid upon him. For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance. For the king trusteth in the LORD, and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved.” The Lord our God, the most high God, is merciful to bless His faithful servants with the blessings of abundant goodness. First, He is merciful to bless us by hearing and answering our prayers. Second, He is merciful to bless us with an abundant, fruitful Christian life. Third, He is merciful to bless us with the guidance and empowerment of His indwelling Holy Spirit. Fourth, He is merciful to bless us with the blessedness of a daily walk in fellowship with Him. Finally, He is merciful to bless us with a glorious joy, peace, hope, and confidence in Him.
The Lord our God, the most high God, is mindful to help.
In Psalm 46:1-7 the psalmist proclaimed, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.” The Lord our God, the most high God, is mindful to help His faithful servants in their time of need. He is mindful to help us as “our refuge and strength.” He is mindful to help us as “a very present help in trouble.” He is mindful to help us, “and that right early.” He is mindful to help us as One who never leaves us, nor forsakes us. He is mindful to help us as the good Shepherd who personally cares for us.
The Lord our God, the most high God, is majestic in sovereignty.
In Psalm 47:1-9 the psalmist proclaimed, “O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth. He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet. He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah. God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding. God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness. The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted.” The Lord our God, the most high God, is majestic (terrible, awesome) in sovereignty as the “great King over all the earth.” He rules and reigns over all. He sits upon His holy throne above all. He shall be victorious in all. He shall be worshipped and exalted by all.
The Lord our God, the most high God, is marvelous in faithfulness.
In Psalm 77:1-12 Asaph proclaimed, “I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah. Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak. I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times. I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search. Will the Lord cast off for ever? And will he be favourable no more? Is his mercy clean gone for ever? Doth his promise fail for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah. And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.” The Lord our God, the most high God, is marvelous in faithfulness, renewing His compassions and tender mercies unto us every morning. It may appear that He has “cast off for ever.” It may appear that He will be “favourable no more.” It may appear that “His mercy is clean gone for ever.” It may appear that His promise will “fail forevermore.” It may appear that He has “forgotten to be gracious.” It may appear that He has “shut up his tender mercies.” Yet we must remember that the Lord our God, the most high God, is continually and eternally faithful. Yea, we must remember His continual faithfulness in the past. Then, so remembering, we must recognize that faithfulness is an essential characteristic of the Lord our God and that He will ever continue faithful in the present and into the future.
The Lord our God, the most high God, is magnified through judgment
In Psalm 83:1-3 Asaph prayed, “Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.” Then at the close of the psalm, in verses 13-18, Asaph prayed, “O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind. As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire; so persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm. Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD. Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish: that men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.” The Lord our God, the most high God, is magnified through judgment upon those who rebel against Him. Yea, through His judgment people are brought to know that His name alone is JEHOVAH, the great I AM, and that He truly is “the most high over all the earth.”
The Lord our God, the most high God, is Most High for ever
In Psalm 92:6-8 the psalmist proclaimed, “A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this. When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever: but thou, LORD, art most high for evermore.” The Lord our God, the most high God, is Most High for ever, and shall never be overthrown or overcome by His enemies.
Posted in Weekly Sermon, 2 Samuel, Psalms, Almighty Power of God, Deliverance of Our Lord, Grace and Mercy of God,
Blessing of the Lord, Lovingkindness of the Lord, Refuge of the Lord, Sovereignty of the Lord,
Faithfulness of Our Lord, Judgment of Our Lord, The Eternal God
Please share this post with others: