INTRODUCTION:

For the director of music, according to gittith. Many of the Psalms were written to be used in the temple worship services of Israel. There were professional choirs, sometimes several, singing from all sides. Also, the Psalms were the hymnbook of the Reformation. A "gittith" was a sort of musical instrument, perhaps like a small harp.

Lesson: Music is an important part of worship. We should strive to have a good choir. We should enjoy the use of musical instruments of all sorts (see Psalm 150 for a list of instruments). Churches which forbid choirs and instruments are misinterpreting the Word of God.

I. The Majesty of God in the Earth

A. He is our Lord. We are His servants, and we should be eager to obey His commands.

B. How majestic is your name in all the earth! David means: I can see your greatness in all of your earthly creation. Is it not true? The more we learn of biology, geology, electronics, physics, any of these earth centered sciences, the more we are impressed by he wisdom and power of God!

C. Praise from children. By infants he does not mean crying babies, but he means young children. How pleasant it is to see children who believe in God, and who serve Him, and praise His name. It is our duty and privilege to do the best we can in training the children of the church, at home, in Sunday School, in our preschool, at SMCS.

II. The Majesty of God in the Heavens

A. We should all take time to consider God's creation, both on the earth, and in the sky. What do you know about the moon, the sun and the stars? Take an interest! These things declare the majesty and glory of God!

B. Note, Creation is only God's "finger work." That which seems so impossible to us, is easy to God. There is no limit to His power.

III. The Place of Mankind. Why would God care about us?

A. We think well of ourselves! Shakespeare wrote we were godlike. Here is a famous quotation from his play, Hamlet: "What a piece of work is man! How noble inreason! How infinite in faculty! In form, in moving, how expressive and admirable! In action, howlike an angel! In apprehension, how like a god! The beauty of the world! The paragon of animals!"

B. It is true that God made Adam and Eve in His own image. There is great stuff in man. However, we did fall into sin, and we need to recognize that spiritually speaking we are in deep trouble. In Genesis God was so displeased with Mankind, that He literally wiped us off the face of the earth.

C. We are no better now than we were then. We are all sinners according to God's Word, and we need a Savior.Romans 1:18 says "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness omen..." and Romans 3:10 says "There is noone righteous,not evenone; there is noone who understands,noone who seeks God. All have turned away...there is no one who does good, not even one." So Dvid says "what is man that You are mindful of him?"

D. We are lower than the angels in the order of things. Angels are each created immediately by God,one at a time. Angels are holy, and have lived in he presence of God for ages. Yet the Bible says that God sent them to be servants of the heirs of salvation (Hebrews 1:14), and that we shall someday sit in judgment on the fallen angels (I Cor. 6:3).

E. God has given mankind dominion over the earth.

1. We have dominion over the natural resources of the earth. Also, we should be good stewards of these resources, and keep the world a nice place for future generations.

2. We have dominion over the animal kingdom. Likewise, it is our duty to treat the animals with comapssion. We may use them, but we must not abuse them.

CONCLUSION: David concludes with more praise. May God fill our hearts with praise every day as we consider His majesty in all of creation, and as we see His mercy and concern for Mankind. Amen