Clap Your Hands, Sing for Joy

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April 15, 2007 - Psalm 98:1-9

Open It

  1. How do you celebrate special days or events in your family?

  2. What do you like to do when you celebrate some special occasion or happening?

Explore It

  1. Why does the psalm call God's people to sing "a new song"? (98:1)

  2. For what reasons does the Lord deserve praise? (98:1-3)

  3. What has God done to deserve our praise? (98:1-3)

  4. What did the psalm writer celebrate? (98:1-9)

  5. On which character trait of God's did the psalm writer focus? (98:1-9)

  6. How did the psalm writer progressively extend his call to worship God? (98:1-9)

  7. Whom does this psalm call to praise the Lord? (98:1-9)

  8. Why does this psalm call us to rejoice and be joyful? (98:1-9)

  9. What characteristics of God's did the psalm writer emphasize? (98:2-3, 9)

  10. How is God's commitment to His people summed up by the psalm writer? (98:3)

  11. What specific instructions does this psalm offer about how to worship God? (98:4-6)

  12. What imagery is used to described the whole world's praise to God? (98:7-8)

  13. What final reason did the psalm writer give God's people to praise Him? (98:9)

  14. How is God's judgment of the earth described? (98:9)

Get It

  1. What hope and encouragement can we glean from this psalm?

  2. What does this passage teach us about the character of God?

  3. What have you learned about worship from this psalm?

  4. What has this psalm taught you about joy?

  5. What kinds of things cause your relationship with the Lord to become stagnant and boring?

  6. How can we keep our spiritual lives fresh and exciting?

  7. How can we guard against getting into a rut in our spiritual journeys?

  8. What kind of worship and praise does the Lord want from us?

  9. How do you think you could praise the Lord?

  10. What "new song" or act of praise could you present to the Lord?

  11. What attributes or works of God's motivate you to praise Him?

Apply It

  1. How could you creatively remind yourself each day this week about one praiseworthy attribute or blessing of the Lord's?

  2. What is one step you could take to add new meaning to your worship of God?

Notes

Psalm 98:1ff: This is a psalm of praise anticipating the coming of God to rule his people. Jesus fulfilled this anticipation when he came to save all people from their sins (Psalm 98:2-3), and he will come again to judge the world (Psalm 98:8-9). God is both perfectly loving and perfectly just. He is merciful when he punishes, and he overlooks no sin when he loves. Praise him for his promise to save you and to return again.

(Back to Study Home Page)   (Sermon April 15, 2007)
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