The English language of the sermon has been updated and simplified. As the sermon is fairly long, if you are short on time, we recommend reading sections 3 and 4.
I will extol you, my God, O King; and I will bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you; and I will praise your name forever and ever. – Psalm 145:1-2
If I were to ask you, “Do you pray?” most Christians would quickly respond, “Of course!” If I followed up with, “And do you pray every day?” the answer would likely be, “Yes, many times throughout the day. I couldn’t live without prayer.” This is what I would expect, so I won’t ask that question. But let me rephrase it: “Do you bless God every day? Is praising Him just as regular a practice for you as praying?” I’m not so sure the answer would come as quickly or as confidently.
You might pause before answering, and I worry that in some cases, the response would be, “I’m afraid I haven’t been diligent in my praise.” So, dear friend, have you considered whether that’s a mistake? Should we neglect praise any more than we would neglect prayer? Shouldn’t our praise be offered daily, just as prayer is? I believe that failing to praise is as unjustifiable as failing to pray. I encourage you to reflect on this question and strive to incorporate more of the sweet aroma of praise into your daily devotion.
Praise is often not as common in family prayers as other forms of worship. Not everyone may feel comfortable singing, but it would be wonderful if we could. I agree with Matthew Henry when he says, “Those who pray in the family do well; those who pray and read the Scriptures do better; but those who pray, read, and sing do best of all.” There is something complete and fulfilling about that kind of family worship.
Whether in a family setting or privately, let us seek to be filled with God’s praise and honor throughout the day. Let this be our resolve: “I will extol you, my God, O King; I will bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you; and I will praise your name forever and ever.”
Praise cannot be a second-class activity. It is clearly something that is owed to God, and in a significant way. A sense of justice should compel us to praise the Lord; it is the least we can do in return for the countless blessings He bestows upon us. How can we fail to offer praise to the One who sends the sunshine of His love and the rain of His grace? We should eagerly express our gratitude to our gracious Lord and King. He doesn’t demand from us hard labor; instead, He simply says, “Whoever offers praise glorifies me.” Praise is good, pleasant, and delightful. Let’s consider it one of our debts that we are eager to repay.
Praising God is a hallmark of being a true child of God. A person who merely pretends to be pious might fast or offer some semblance of prayer, but to praise God wholeheartedly is a sign of genuine faith—a sign of a heart renewed by divine grace. If we go without offering praise, we miss one of the clearest expressions of our love for God.
Moreover, praising God is immensely beneficial for ourselves. The more we engage in it, the more blessed we will be. What can lift us above life’s trials and help us bear our burdens better than songs of praise to the Most High? Just as a soldier marches more energetically with a band playing uplifting music, we too can find strength in hymns of praise. Nothing could grease the wheels of life’s challenges like a greater commitment to praising God. Praise can replace complaints and nurture contentment. When our mouths are filled with God’s praises, there’s little room left for grumbling. Praise can transform even the most mundane tasks into acts of worship, making our everyday duties feel sacred. If we sanctify our lives with prayer and praise, we’ll become happier, holier, and more heavenly, declaring, “I will extol you, my God, O King.”
Additionally, if we don’t praise God here, how are we preparing for our eternal home? In heaven, all is praise; how can we hope to enter if we are strangers to that practice? This life is a training ground, preparing us for the high calling of perfect worship. Are you eager to practice those everlasting hallelujahs?
“I would begin the music here,
And so my soul should rise:
Oh, for some heavenly notes to bear
My passions to the skies!”
Learn the essential elements of heavenly praise through joyful thanksgiving, adoring reverence, and awe-filled love. Then, when you step into heaven, you can confidently join the heavenly choir, saying, “I have been practicing these songs for years. I have praised God while surrounded by sin and suffering, and now that I am free from earthly constraints, I will sing even more sweetly to my Lord and God.”
I wish I could encourage every child of God to praise Him wholeheartedly. And to those who are not yet His children—oh, how I wish you were! You must be born again; you cannot truly praise God until you are. “To the wicked, God says, ‘What do you have to do with declaring my statutes or taking my covenant in your mouth?’” Real praise cannot come from hearts at enmity with Him. Be reconciled to God through the death of His Son, and then you will be able to offer Him the praise He deserves. Let no one who has tasted the Lord’s goodness or who has been freed from sin by Christ ever forget to give their daily tribute of thanksgiving to the Lord.
To help us in this joyful duty of praise, let’s focus on our text and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us!
1. The Resolve of Personal Loyalty
I will extol you, my God, O King.
David personally approaches God and declares his deliberate commitment to praise Him forever.
First, note that he acknowledges God as his King. We cannot truly praise God if we don’t recognize Him as sovereign, reigning with absolute authority. Disobedient subjects cannot honor their ruler. We must embrace the Lord’s yoke—it is easy, and His burden is light. We need to come before Him, accept His mercy, and recognize Him as our rightful Monarch, Lawgiver, and Ruler. Where God is truly known, He is always seen as supreme.
David was a king himself, but to him, God was the ultimate King. Our King is no tyrant or harsh ruler. He demands no crushing service; instead, His ways are ones of joy, and His paths lead to peace. While others may boast of being their own masters, our joy lies in submitting completely to our heavenly King. Let’s praise God by acknowledging Him as our King and long for His glory to fill the earth. Let this be our daily prayer: “Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” And let our constant praise reflect this: “For yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.”
In this first line, the Psalmist praises the Lord by personally claiming God for himself through faith: “I will extol you, my God.” The word “my” is like a drop of honey; it’s rich and sweet. It suggests an abundance of sweetness, and anyone who embraces this relationship stands knee-deep in joy. “My God” is as high a declaration as any angel could make. What is another person’s God to me? He must be my God, or I cannot truly praise Him. Dear friend, have you ever claimed God as your own? Can you echo David’s words, “This God is our God forever and ever. He will guide us even unto death”? Thomas was blessed when he knelt, touched the wounds of his Master, and exclaimed, “My Lord and my God.” That heartfelt recognition marked the end of his doubt. Can you declare, “Jehovah is my God”? We acknowledge the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as one God, and this God is ours. While others may worship as they choose, this God is the one our souls adore and claim as our own. If you can say, “My God,” then you are bound to exalt Him! If He has given Himself to you so you can say, “My Beloved is mine,” you will respond, “And I am His.” Those two statements together capture the essence of heavenly joy.
Notice that David is resolute in his decision to praise God. My text contains four “I wills.” Often, it’s unwise for us to assert, “I will,” because our will can be weak and changeable. But when we commit to praising God, we can confidently declare, “I will,” and “I will,” and “I will,” until our resolve becomes a solid foundation. You’ll find that you need to say “I will” many times because various obstacles will challenge your determination. There will be moments of discouragement when you must declare, “I will extol you, my God, O King.” Trials like poverty, illness, and loss will come, and then you’ll need to proclaim, “I will praise your name forever.” The enemy may whisper doubts about your relationship with Christ, but you must respond, “Every day I will bless you.” Even in the face of death, when fear might grip you, it’s vital to cry out, “And I will praise your name forever.”
“Sing, even when sense and reason
Would try to silence your song:
Sing, and know it’s treason
For a saint to hold his tongue.”
A bold person might say, “While I live, I’ll boast,” but our motto is, “While I live, I’ll praise.” An older saying is, “Dum spiro, spero” (While I breathe, I hope), but the faithful improve upon it by declaring, “Dum expiro, spero” (While I die, I hope). They go even further, affirming—“Whether I live or die, I will praise my God.” “O God, my heart is steadfast; my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise.”
While David stands firm in his commitment, note that his resolution is deeply personal. He says, “I will extol you.” Regardless of what others do, he has made up his mind. David delighted in joining the congregation when they praised God, but he always focused on his own heart and his own praise. There’s no selfishness in ensuring that your personal relationship with the Lord is strong. A responsible citizen isn’t selfish for taking care of his duties to his king. A group praising God means little if each individual isn’t sincere and earnest in their worship. The praise of the congregation is precious only to the extent that every person is genuinely saying, “I will extol you, my God, O King.”
Come, my soul, don’t remain silent just because many others are singing. No matter how many voices are raised, they can’t sing for me; they can’t fulfill my personal debt of praise. So, awaken, my heart, and extol your God and King. If others choose to remain quiet, let that inspire you to double your efforts in praising Him! I will sing a solo if I cannot find a choir to join. Whatever happens, my God, I will extol you. In this world, people often turn to other lords and set up false gods, but as for me, I am bound to Jehovah; I will remain in His service forever. Bind my offering with cords to the horns of the altar. No matter what, I will extol you, my God, O King.
Now, brothers and sisters, have you lost your individuality in the crowd? As part of a large church, have you thought, “Things will go well without me”? Correct that thinking: each person must bring their own unique note to God. Let Him not say to you, “You have not brought me any gifts; you have not filled me with the substance of your sacrifices.” Let’s not be slow in praising Him, especially since He has been so generous in His grace.
Furthermore, as David makes this loyal resolution to praise God, observe that he intends to do it continually. The resolution to praise comes only from someone who is already praising God. When he says, “I will extol you,” he is already doing so. We move from one act of praise to another. The heart resolves and plants the seed, which then influences life and leads to a fruitful harvest.
Dear friends, don’t say, “I will extol you tomorrow,” or “I will wait until I’m older or have less to do.” No, no; today you are in debt; today recognize your obligation. We cannot praise God too soon. Our very first breath is a gift from Him and should be spent in praise to our Creator. The early morning should be dedicated to praise—don’t the birds teach us this? When we give, we should do so quickly. Let your praise follow swiftly after the blessings you receive, lest you be found guilty of ingratitude during the delay. As soon as a blessing arrives, let us welcome it with joy. Like a little chick that lifts its head to give thanks as it drinks, our thanksgiving should echo the voice of God’s love. Before our King, let us continually rejoice as we bless Him and speak well of His name.
Thus, I have presented the resolve of a loyal spirit. Are you loyal to your God and King? Then I urge you to glorify His name. Lift your hearts in praise, and in every way make His name great. Praise Him with your words; praise Him with your actions; praise Him with your resources; praise Him with every ability you have. Be creative in how you praise: “Sing to the Lord a new song.” Bring out your treasured gifts; break open your expensive alabaster box, and pour out your love upon your Redeemer. Join with the penitents and martyrs in extolling Him! With prophets and apostles, sing His praises! With saints and angels, honor Him! Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised.
2. The Conclusion of Intelligent Appreciation
I will bless your name forever and ever
Now, let’s turn to the second part of the text, which is equally meaningful: “And I will bless your name forever and ever.” Blind praise is not fitting for the all-seeing God. He once forbade blind sacrifices at His altar. Our praise should be thoughtful and sincere. We ought to know the God we are praising; hence David says, “I will bless your name,” referring to His character, deeds, and revealed attributes.
First, recognize that he worships with genuine admiration: he knows who God is, and therefore he blesses His name. What does it mean to bless? Sometimes “bless” is used interchangeably with “praise,” but there is a distinction. It is written, “All your works shall praise you, O Lord; and your saints shall bless you.” You can praise someone without blessing them. For instance, you might praise a great artist, but if that artist is unkind, you may not feel inclined to bless him. Blessing carries a sense of love and delight. To say, “I will bless your name” means, “I will take deep joy in your name; I will rejoice in it with love.”
Thinking of God brings happiness to our hearts, and the more we reflect on His character, the more joy we find. The Lord’s name is love; He is merciful, gracious, and compassionate. He is just, righteous, faithful, and true. He is powerful, wise, and unchanging. He hears our prayers and keeps His promises. We wouldn’t want Him to be any different than He is. We find deep contentment in God as revealed in Scripture. Unfortunately, many today want a god of their own making, and if they find anything in the Bible that challenges their beliefs, they cannot accept it. The God who casts the wicked away is unacceptable to them, so they create a false deity who is indifferent to sin.
But all that is revealed about God is entirely satisfactory to me. If I don’t fully grasp its meaning, I bow before the mystery. If I hear something about God that doesn’t delight me, I realize there’s something wrong in my own heart, whether due to sin or ignorance, and I say, “Teach me what I don’t understand.” I have no doubt that perfectly holy and fully instructed beings find joy in everything God does and are eager to praise Him for all of it. Don’t our souls bless the Lord who chose us, redeemed us, and called us by His grace? Whether we see Him as Maker, Provider, Savior, King, or Father, we find in Him an endless source of joy. He is our ultimate joy. So let us sit quietly in His presence and let our souls declare, “Bless the Lord! Bless the Lord!” He is everything we could hope for and more. He is the pinnacle of goodness, the essence of perfection. Every time we see the light or feel the warmth of the sun, let us bless the name of the Lord.
I believe when David said, “I will bless Your name,” he meant that he desired good for the Lord. To bless someone means to wish them well or do something good for them. By blessing us, God bestows countless blessings and benefits on us! We cannot bless God in the same way He blesses us, but if we could, we would. While we can’t give anything directly to God, we can desire that He be known, loved, and obeyed by all people. We can wish for the success of His kingdom and His cause in the world. We can bless God by blessing His people, working to fulfill His purposes, obeying His commands, and delighting in His ways. We can bless Him by accepting His discipline and being grateful for His daily blessings. Sometimes we say with the Psalmist, “O my soul, you have said to the Lord, You are my Lord: my goodness does not extend to You, but to the saints on the earth, and to the excellent ones in whom is all my delight.” Oh, how I wish I could wash the feet of Jesus Christ! Is there any believer here who doesn’t long to serve Him in this way? It isn’t denied to us: we can wash His feet by caring for His poor people and meeting their needs. You can’t host a meal for your Redeemer because He is not hungry, but some of His people are—feed them! He isn’t thirsty, but some of His followers are. Give them a cup of cold water in His name, and He will accept it as if it were given to Him. Don’t you feel today, those of you who love Him, as if you want to do something for Him? Get up, and do it, and bless Him that way. It is one of the instincts of a true Christian to want to do something for God and King, who has done everything for us. He loved me and gave Himself for me; shouldn’t I give myself for Him? Oh, for perfect dedication! Oh, to bless God by laying everything on His altar and spending our lives in His service!
It seems, then, dear friends, that David studied God’s character and His works, and that’s how he praised Him. Our knowledge of God should inspire our praise. The more we know about God, the more we will bless Him through Jesus Christ. Therefore, I urge you to get to know God better. Study His holy Word. In it, you can see the glory of the Lord reflected, especially in the person of Jesus Christ, who is the Word, the very name of the Lord. It would be a shame to spoil our praise with ignorance. Those who know the name of the Lord will trust Him and will praise Him.
This text shows that David, after a long time studying God, didn’t find anything in God that would make him change his mind. He doesn’t say, “I will bless Your name in all things but one. I’ve seen some terrifying aspect of Your nature, and in that, I can’t bless You.” No, without any exception, he reverently adores and joyfully blesses God. His heart is fully content with everything revealed about God. Is that how we feel, beloved? I truly hope so.
I want you to notice how passionate David becomes when he says, “I will bless Your name forever and ever.” You may have heard the old saying “forever and a day,” but here we have something even greater: “forever” and then “forever” again. He says, “I will bless Your name forever.” Isn’t that long enough? No, he adds “and ever.” Are there two “forevers,” two eternities? Brothers and sisters, if there were fifty eternities, we would spend all of them blessing the name of the Lord our God. “I will bless Your name forever and ever.” There’s no need to explain this in logical terms—it’s an expression of infinite love and devotion. It echoes Addison’s words:
“Through all eternity to Thee,
My song of joy I’ll raise;
But oh, eternity’s too short
To utter all Thy praise!”
Someone criticized that line recently, saying, “Eternity can’t be too short.” Ah, my dear friend, I can see you’re not a poet; but if you had just a spark of poetry in your soul, you’d understand. In poetry and praise, sometimes the literal meaning of words isn’t enough. Language is a weak tool when the soul is on fire; words work well enough for calm reasoning, but when thoughts are full of praise, words fail us. How often have I stood here and wished I could cast words aside and let my heart speak without being confined by language! David speaks as if he wanted to break free from the limits of words, time, and even possibility to make room for his heart’s devotion. “I will bless Your name forever and ever.” How I love these enthusiastic expressions! They show that when David praised the Lord, he did it wholeheartedly. While he meditated, the fire burned within him. He felt like dancing before the ark, just like Dr. Watts when he sang:
“From You, my God, my joys will rise
And run eternal rounds,
Beyond the limits of the skies,
And all created bounds.”
3. The Daily Commitment to Remember God’s Blessings
Every day I will bless you
But time is running short, so I must move on to the next part of our text: the daily commitment to remember God’s blessings. I want to focus on this with great sincerity. If you forget the rest of this message, I hope you remember this part: “Every day I will bless You.” I won’t just praise You today and then forget. I won’t dedicate just one week of the year to praise You and then remain silent for the other fifty-one weeks. No, “Every day I will bless You.” I will praise God all year long. Why should it be like this?
The magnitude of the gifts we’ve already received demands it. We can never fully express our gratitude for saving grace, and so we must keep praising. Just a few years ago, we were lost and dead, but now we are found and made alive again. We must praise God every day for this. We were as dark as night with sin, but now we are washed whiter than snow. How could we ever stop praising the Lord for this? He loved me and gave Himself for me—how could there ever come a day when I stop praising Him for that? Gethsemane, the bloody sweat, Calvary, and the precious blood—when could we ever stop praising our dear Lord for everything He suffered to buy us with His own heart’s blood? If the only blessings we ever received were election, redemption, the work of the Holy Spirit, and adoption, those alone would be enough to make us sing to the Lord every day of our lives. The light that has dawned on us fills every day with joy, and that joy will be reflected in our praise.
Today, we should sing about the mercy we experienced yesterday. Just as waves of love and time have carried us to the shore of today, so God’s blessings surround us. Here I am on a Sunday morning, rejoicing because another six days of work are done, and I had the strength to do them. Some of us have experienced overwhelming kindness from God between last Sunday and this one. If we had nothing else from God except what we received in the past week, we would still have plenty of reasons to praise Him today. If there is any day we should not stop praising God, it’s the Lord’s Day, for:
“This is the day the Lord has made;
He calls the hours His own;
Let heaven rejoice, let earth be glad,
And praise surround the throne.”
Oh, let us magnify the Lord on this day, when we can say:
“Today He rose and left the dead,
And Satan’s empire fell;
Today the saints spread His triumphs,
And tell of all His wonders.”
When tomorrow comes, won’t we praise God for the blessings of the Sabbath? Surely you haven’t forgotten the Lord by Monday! Before you head into the world, refresh yourself in the crystal-clear waters of praise. Bury each yesterday in the fine linen and spices of gratitude.
Every day brings new mercy, and each day deserves new praise. When Monday is over, you’ll have something to thank God for on Tuesday. If you watch for the hand of God, you will never go long without seeing it. With even a little attention, you will see God’s mercies every day of the year. The dew is fresh every morning, and so are God’s blessings. Someone might say, “Fresh trouble,” but praise God for the trouble, because it’s a richer form of blessing. Another might say, “Fresh care,” but cast your cares on Him, and even that act will bless you. “Fresh labor,” says another. Yes, but fresh strength too.
There is never a night without a day to follow it, and never an affliction without its consolation. Every day we should remember and speak of God’s great goodness.
If we cannot praise God for what He has given us today, let us praise Him for what He will give us tomorrow. “The future is bright.” Let us learn that old verse:
“And a new song is in my mouth,
To long-lived music set:
Glory to Thee for all the grace
I have not tasted yet.”
Let’s reach into the future and trust God’s promises. What if I’m down today? Tomorrow I’ll rise again. What if I’m covered in ashes today? Tomorrow the Lord will crown me with kindness. What if I’m suffering today? It will soon be over. No matter what, a hundred years from now it won’t matter. So let me praise God for what’s ahead. In just a few years, I’ll be with the angels, and with the Lord Himself. Blessed be His name! Start enjoying heaven now. What does the apostle say? “For our citizenship is in heaven”—not “will be” but “is.” We belong to heaven now; our names are written as its citizens, and the privileges of the New Jerusalem belong to us today. Christ is ours, and God is ours!
“This world is ours, and worlds to come;
Earth is our lodging, and heaven is our home.”
So let’s rejoice and be glad, praising the name of God today.
“Every day,” David says, “I will bless You.” There is always a good time to praise God. Praise is appropriate every season of the year. You wake up, the sunlight streams through the windows, touches your eyelids, and you say, “Bless God! What a beautiful summer day.” Birds are singing, flowers are blooming, and you can’t help but praise God. But on another day, it’s dark when you wake up, so you strike a match and light your candle. A thick fog hangs over everything. If you’re wise, you say, “I won’t get through this day unless I make up my mind to praise God. This is the kind of weather where I must bless Him, or else I’ll sink into despair.” So you wake up and begin to adore the Lord. One morning you wake up refreshed after a good night’s sleep and praise God for it. But on another occasion, you toss and turn through a sleepless night, and then thank God that the weary night is over. It may seem funny, but there is always a reason to praise God. Certain fruits and meats are in season only at special times, but the praise of God is always in season. It’s good to praise the Lord during the day—how sweet is the lark’s song as it rises to heaven! It’s good to bless God at night—how beautiful are the nightingale’s notes as they fill the night with music! So I say to you with all my heart, “Come, let’s praise the Lord together, no matter the weather, no matter the place.” Sometimes I tell myself, “Last week I was in so much pain that I’m afraid I didn’t praise God as much as I should have, so I’ll take a double portion of praise now. I’ll get alone and spend special time in thankfulness. I’ll make up for any missed praise and lift God’s name higher than ever before.” I don’t like to think there could ever be a day when I didn’t praise Him. That day would be a blank page in my life. Surely, the sweetest praise that reaches God comes from the suffering saints. Praise during hard times is the most genuine praise. If your dog loves you only because it’s dinner time, you might question his loyalty. But when someone else offers him a treat, and he still stays by your side, even after you scolded him, then you know he’s truly loyal. In the same way, we can learn from dogs that true love isn’t dependent on what we receive. Let’s not have a “cupboard love” for God that depends on His kind providence. Let’s love and praise Him for who He is and what He has done. Let’s cling to Him when He seems far away, and praise Him when He disciplines us—that’s true praise. As for me, though I may not be free from suffering for long, I have no complaints about my Lord. I desire only to praise Him, and to keep praising Him. Oh, that I knew how to do it worthily! Here is my resolve: “I will exalt You, my God and King, and I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You.”
4. Our Hope of Eternal Praise
I will praise your name forever and ever
I’m certain that when David said this, he believed God to be unchanging. If God could change, how could we be sure He will always be worthy of our praise? David knew that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He didn’t have the exact words, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever,” or “I am the Lord, I do not change; therefore, you are not destroyed.” But he knew this truth and said, “I will praise Your name forever and ever.” As long as God exists, He will always be worthy of praise.
Another point is also clear: David believed in the immortality of the soul. He says, “I will praise Your name forever and ever.” The Old Testament didn’t reveal this truth as clearly, but David knew it well. He didn’t expect to fall into oblivion but to keep praising God. That’s why he said, “I will praise Your name forever and ever.” No cold hand came upon him, and no voice told him, “You will die and never praise the Lord again.” No, he expected to live forever and praise forever. Friends, this is our hope, and we will never give it up. We feel eternal life within us. We challenge the cold grip of death to extinguish the flame of our love or silence our song of praise. The dead cannot praise God; He is the God of the living, not the dead. By God’s grace, we are among the living, and we know we will live because Jesus lives. When death comes, it won’t destroy us. Though it will change our existence, it won’t change the purpose of our lives. Our tongues may be silent for a little while, but our spirits, unaffected by the body’s illness, will continue to praise God in their own way. Then, in the resurrection, even our tongues will be revived. Body, soul, and spirit will together praise the God of resurrection and eternal glory. “I will praise Your name forever and ever.” We will never grow tired of this sacred activity. It will always be new, fresh, and delightful. In heaven, we won’t need any change beyond the blessed variety of songs and melodies that make up the eternal harmony. Forever and ever, we’ll tell the story that can never be fully told. The saints will praise the name of the Lord forever and ever.
Of course, friends, David’s resolution was that while he was here on earth, he would never stop praising God, and this is also our goal. Brothers and sisters, we may have to stop some of our beloved activities, but we will never stop praising God. There comes a time when a person may have to stop preaching to a large congregation. John Newton once said he would never stop preaching as long as he had breath, and I admire his holy determination. But perhaps he should have stopped preaching at St. Mary Woolnoth because, at times, he forgot what he was saying and tired his listeners. He might have done better somewhere else. But while we may stop preaching, we will never stop praising! The day will come when you, dear friend, may not be able to go to Sunday school anymore. I hope you’ll go as long as you can still walk there, but you may lose the ability to teach the children as your memory fades. Yet, even then, you can keep praising the Lord—and you will. I’ve known elderly people who almost forgot their own names or their children’s names, but they still remembered their Lord and Savior. I’ve heard of one person who lay dying, and his friends tried to make him remember certain things, but he shook his head. At last, someone asked, “Do you remember the Lord Jesus?” and his mind suddenly cleared, his eyes brightened, and he eloquently praised his Savior. Our last breath will be spent praising the Lord.
When we’ve passed through the iron gates of death and crossed the river that separates this life from the next, we will begin to praise God in a way that surpasses anything we’ve done here. We’ll sing and adore with even greater joy. What heights we will reach on the wings of love! What deep dives we’ll take into the crystal sea of praise! I imagine that when we first see the throne, we’ll do nothing but cast our crowns at the feet of the One who loved us, and bow down in speechless praise. We’ll be overwhelmed with wonder and thankfulness. When we rise again, we’ll join the song of our brothers and sisters redeemed by Christ’s blood, and we’ll only stop singing when we’re again overcome by joyful adoration, shrinking into nothing before the infinite, unchanging God of love. Oh, to be there! To be there soon! We might be closer than we think. I don’t know what I’ll do, but I know this: I want no other heaven than to praise God perfectly and eternally. Isn’t that how you feel? A heart full of praise is heaven in its early stages; perfect praise is heaven in full bloom. Let’s close by asking God for the grace to fix any lack of praise in our lives, to put on the garments of holy adoration, and from this day forward, let our watchword be: “Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!”
Public domain – accessed September 2024, https://www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/the-happy-duty-of-daily-praise/