6-22-25 (Jeremy Stewart) Magnified

Psalm 34:1-9

1 I will bless the Lord at all times;
    his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
    let the humble hear and be glad.

3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
    and let us exalt his name together!

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me
    and delivered me from all my fears.

5 Those who look to him are radiant,
    and their faces shall never be ashamed.

6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
    and saved him out of all his troubles.

7 The angel of the Lord encamps
    around those who fear him, and delivers them.

8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
    Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
    for those who fear him have no lack!

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From the Sermon

There are 2 types of "Magnified"

1. To zoom in
2. To make great

Psalm 34 invites us to do both - zoom in and see who God is, and worship him because of what you've seen and experienced.

Psalm 34 is written due to a real moment:
1 Samuel 21:10-15

How to Magnify God that you might Magnify God - Psalm 34:4-9

• SEEK
• LOOK
• CRY OUT
• TASTE
• FEAR

Psalm 8:1-4
Here we see how God's greatness causes the David to question God's interest in humanity. This makes Psalm 34:15 and 18 all the more impactful.

God is both:

• Incredibly powerful and above us
• Cares so deeply about each of us that he walks alongside us in our pain

Discussion Questions

Icebreaker:
What are some times you've "zoomed in" on something, or what is some media that you remember that explored the idea of there being beauty and complexity around us that's out of sight because we can't see it?

1. Why do you think David's experiences in 1 Samuel 21:10-15 cause him to write this psalm?
2. Jeremy pointed out 5 "action words" in Psalm 34:4-9: SEEK, LOOK, CRY OUT, TASTE, and FEAR. What does it look like to practice these in terms of our relationship with God?
3. We saw a video that attempted to give us some sense of the universe's scale. What is your response or feeling to recognizing how large creation is compared to us?
4. In Psalm 8, David wrestles with the idea that a God who is so great could care about us. Do you ever feel that way?
5. Psalm 34:15 and 18 tell us that, even as great as he is, God draws near to us in our pain and suffering. What is significant about that?