PRAISING GOD

Text: Psalms 150

Webster defines praise, Thusly: "To commend the worth of; express approval or admiration of."

In the Truth–In-Action section of the Spirit Filled Life Bible, the commentary on these verses about praise says: "To praise the Lord is to speak well of God with exuberance and enthusiasm to others and/or to Him because of what He has done. The expression, "Praise the Lord," which in Hebrew is "Hallelujah" is a command to extol God’s virtues and exalt Him because of His mighty acts. A praise gathering is a celebration of God’s mighty power and purpose.

The Action which this Psalm invites is:

  1. Praise God with a loud and enthusiastic voice. Clap your hands and shout joyfully to the Lord. Participate in processions of praise. Speak and sing praise to God. Involve such physical expressions as raising hands, dancing, applause, and kneeling.
  2. Discipline yourself to praise God for every benefit He provides. Be disciplined in corporate praise. Be careful to submit to leadership in praise services, not letting praise degenerate into fleshly enthusiasm.

 

I like to think that when we praise God we lavish words of honor, respect, admiration, commendation, and worship upon Him. That, when we praise Him, we use words of the highest order of exaltation, esteem and reverence.

And, that our praise be emotional (with feeling) demanding a physical response from us. Not as though we are dead and as quite as a corpse, but that we are alive and are celebrating the reality of His presence.

(Will you, right now, lift your hands and shout words of love, appreciation and praise to the Lord.)

 

A. Why do we praise God?
  1. He is faithful.
  2. His mercy, shown at Calvary, still touches our life.
  3. His promise of caring is unlimited to time and space.

B. When are we supposed to praise God?
  1. When we are blessed and full of joy.
  2. When we are engulfed in sorrow.
  3. Always and at all times.

C. How are we supposed to praise God?
  1. Hebrews 13:15, "By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name."
  2. In dedicated Christian living.
  3. In sincerity and truth.

 

Two Questions:

1. "Does my method of praise (words and actions) honor my Heavenly Father for who He is and for what He has done?

2. Can anyone tell by what I say and how I act that I am thrilled beyond measure to be a child of the living God?