THE PRACTICE OF PRAISE

“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth” – Psalm 34:1

Perfections of Praise come via the PRACTICE of PRAISE: “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psa.34:1). Although praise is based on the principles in God’s Word and the Power of the Holy Spirit, it is far from being mere theory. PRAISE is PRACTICAL. We become increasingly proficient in the language of praise and skilled in the vocabulary of praise through consistent practice. The singers were always on duty day and night with ceaseless songs in Zion’s temple (1Chr.9:33). God’s Mercy never ceases to rule in our lives – His Mercy endures for ever (Psa.118:1-4). Why then must the holy sound of His Praise be hushed? We are constant debtors, to see to it that our gratitude also, never fails.

God's praise is constant in heaven, our final dwelling-place. It befits us to learn to practice the eternal Hallelujah. As the sun radiates its light, its beams awaken us grateful believers to tune our morning hymns, so that by the priesthood of the saints perpetual praise is kept up at all hours. Thus, we would surround our globe in a mantle of thanksgiving and girdle it with a golden belt of gratitude. The Lord always deserves to be praised for who He is, for His works of creation and providence, for His goodness toward us, and especially for the transcendent act of redemption and all the blessings that flow from it.

Here are four of the many Practices of Praise:

Sing: “Praise the Lord! For it is good to SING PRAISES to our God; for it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful” (Ps. 147:1). Don’t wait until Sunday morning to exercise your vocal cords. Sing spontaneous songs of praise from your heart to God whenever and wherever you wish to: “Sing to the LORD a new song, and His praise in the assembly of saints” (Ps. 149:1).

Meditate: “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I muse on the work of Your hands” (Psa.143:5). Ponder on the Lord: Who He is; what He has done, is doing, and has promised to do. Meditate on His Word, works, and wonders; and you’ll always have something to praise Him about. Focus on His steadfast love, holiness, majesty, power, and faithfulness. Let the wonder of His unchanging character sink deeply into your heart, and you’ll overflow with praise for Him.

Praise with your Whole Being: “Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name (Psa.103:1). “All that is within me” denotes my entire being – spirit, soul, and body. Every organ of my mind – my intellect, emotion, and will; and every organ in my body – my heart, brain, liver, lungs, kidney, and all my members, within and without – can be quickened for His praise! Authentic Praise involves our whole being – spirit, mind, and body. To start with, you may turn on some praise music and use your body – His temple – to physically express praise for God. Lift up your hands, kneel or lay prostrate, bow your head or lift it up, sing, and even dance: “Praise Him with the tambourine and dancing” (Psa. 150:4, NLT).

Praise in Partnership: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will praise You… My praise shall be of You in the great assembly” (Psa.22:22). No matter the magnitude of the multitude, God recognises and receives our Praises as individuals! Let’s learn to praise God not only in private devotion, but also in the company of the saints.

Beloved, join me in diligent, devoted, and effective Practice of Praise: “Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt His name together” (v.3). Let’s commit to speaking of God’s greatness no matter what. At every moment, we can always have something to speak or sing about. We can weave songs out of our present joys, our past deliverances or our future hopes. By the love of Jesus, let us be stirred up to open and close each day with psalms and songs of sanctified gladness.