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Google defines the word “praise” as, “to express warm approval or admiration of someone or something”. It is synonymous with words such as acclaim, applaud, commend, acclamation, magnify, extol, celebrate, glorify, honor, and worship. My personal definition of praise is the joyful thanking and adoring of God, the celebration of His goodness, grace and mercy. Psalm 150: 6 (NLT) says “Let everything that breaths praise the Lord!” This simply implies that the act of praising is rightfully due to God alone. One Hebrew word for “praise” is yadah, meaning “praise, give thanks, or confess.” A second word often translated “praise” in the Old Testament is zamar, “sing praise.” A third word translated “praise” as halal (the root of hallelujah), meaning “to praise, honor, or commend.” All three terms contain the idea of giving thanks and honor to one who is worthy of praise. Psalm 96:4 says “Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be feared above all gods”. The Lord is to be magnified above anything else. His works is beyond human comprehension, and what He has done to redeem us and reconcile us to himself should cause us to praise him.
Why is praising God important? Because scripture tells us so; His Word encourages us to praise Him. He deserves to be praised and He is worthy of our praise. Psalm 145:3, just like 96:4, says “Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure His greatness”. Another
inspiring scripture is Revelations 4:11 – “You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased”. God alone deserves to be praised and worshiped. He is creator, He is sovereign and has a plan and purpose for everything He has made. Praising God is useful and favorable for the children of God. By praising God, we are reminded of the greatness of God! His power and presence in our lives is reinforced in our understanding. “Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant” (Psalm 135:3).
Also, praise discharges strength in faith, which causes God to move on our behalf. “You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength, silencing your enemies and all who oppose you” (Psalm 8:2). Praising God also transforms the spiritual environment. 2 Chronicles 5:13-14
illustrates the alteration that happened when the Levites gave praise and thanks to the Lord and the temple was filled with a cloud signifying the glory of God. “The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the LORD…for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God. God inhabits the atmosphere of praise. Psalm 22:3 says, “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabits the praises of Israel” (KJV). If we want to see a clear manifestation of God’s blessing and grace, all we need to do is to praise Him with all our heart, our mind, and our soul.
Who is to praise God? “Let everything that breaths sing praises to the LORD (Psalm 150:6) When can we praise God? We can praise Him at all times (Psalm 34:1) and as long as we live (Psalm 63:3-4). We cannot embark on the true joy and benefits of praising God unless we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. As children of God, He dwells in our bodies through the Holy Spirit. This means that wherever we go, God is to be praised. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 states “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you…. So you must honor God with your body”.
We can praise God by singing songs and hymns, clapping our hands, even jumping for joy; the list goes on. We can give glory and praise to our God with the use of our physical bodies, with our hearts and minds, and with our deeds. By our testimonies God is praised, glorified, exalted and worshipped. No matter how we praise and worship God, it should result in an awe of His power and love. As we continually focus on Him in praise and prayer, He begins to reveal himself to us in new ways. Through those lessons and revelations somehow, our lives are changed and we are transformed to serve.
July 17, 2022 – Pastor Christina Nyen
