Praise (Part 2)

Praise means “to commend, to applaud or magnify.” For the Christian, praise to God is an expression of worship, lifting-up and glorifying the Lord. It is an expression of humbling ourselves and centering our attention upon the Lord with heart-felt expressions of love, adoration and thanksgiving. High praises bring fellowship and intimacy between ourselves and God. It magnifies our awareness of our spiritual union with the most high God. Praise transports us into the realm of the supernatural and into the power of God. Psalm 89:15 declares, “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance."

There are many actions involved with praise to God. There are verbal expressions of adoration and thanksgiving, singing, playing instruments, shouting, dancing, lifting or clapping our hands. But true praise is not “merely” going through these motions. Jesus spoke about the hypocrisy of the pharisees, whose worship was only an outward show and not from the heart in Matthew 15:8 wen He said, "This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me." Genuine praise to God is a matter of humility and sincere devotion to the Lord from within.

Unpretentious praise and worship pleases the Lord. He delights in the love and devotion of His children. According to the scriptures, the various expressions of praise bring blessing to the Lord. He eagerly awaits the fragrance of our affections, desiring to manifest His sweet presence and power in our midst.

All too often though, praise to God is something that many people leave at church, an event that happens only when they come together with other Christians. However, praise should be a part of a believers lifestyle, inter-mingled as a part of their daily prayer-life. At work, in the car, at home in bed, or anywhere; praise to the Lord brings the refreshing of the Lord’s presence, along with His power and anointing. The Psalmist said, "I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalms 34:1).

Praise is an expression of faith, and a declaration of victory! It declares that we believe God is with us and is in control of the outcome of all our circumstances. Praise is a “sacrifice,” something that we offer to God sacrificially, not just because we feel like it, but because we believe in Him and wish to please Him. Remember what Hebrews 13:15 decree: “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."