What is Praise?

Philosophical View- the expression of approval or admiration for someone or something.

Biblical View- The act of expressing approval or admiration; commendation; laudation. the offering of grateful homage in words or song, as an act of worship: a hymn of praise to God.

Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the name of the LORD; praise him, O ye servants of the LORD. Ye that stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God, Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant.” Psalms 135:1-3 KJV

Praise is given to God because of what he has done. Praise is something that should be seen or heard. According to Psalms 66:8 Oh bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his people be heard.

Far too long we as Christians have been reticent with our praise. In the Old Testament the Hebrew churches were very expressive people in their praising and worshiping of God. Their emotional and expressive praise was visible to all. There are many different kinds of praise which I will write about later.

Isaiah echoes that we should “lift up our voice with strength; lift up be not afraid”. There is something about praise that is seen or heard whether you are praising God by commendation, magnification, or admiration, praise is always seen or heard.

Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Isaiah 40:9 KJV.

When a child does well and we praise him or her quietly without them knowing, what benefit is it for them? They need to know and hear us in order for it to be effective. Praise is something most of us do every day to people we appreciate, so why is it so difficult for us to understand the effect it has on God?. God’s praise is all about God. It highlights his wondrous acts and his flawless character. God must be praised because he is worthy of praise. Even when we are feeling down and deflated God is still to be praised, even when our soul is cast down, let us speak to ourselves like the Psalmist and say “oh my soul why are you disquieted within me, hope thou in God “ for I will yet praise him”.

Praise is not something God needs in order to be God but we need to praise God because he has commanded us to. It is when we praise God; the necessary changes begins in us.

Firstly, we are reminded of all he has done and what he can do.

Secondly, praise makes us more conscious of the presence of God.

Although God is always with us according to his promises, there are times when we feel alone, but what praise does is make us more sensitive to his presence. Praise can be given by the very rocks according to Luke 19:40 and the rocks have no relationship with God. Praise needs no relationship as such but worship does. Praise often precedes worship in many church services but this is not a rule, it’s just that for many people praising God comes more natural and easier as it can be done by anyone at anytime even if they feel distant from God.

Many times praise prepares us and leads us into worship and although in many churches worship has defined the tempo of songs sang, this is an incorrect definition, even if the majority of praise songs are sang at fast tempo while worship songs are sang slower, the words of songs more denote whether they are worship or praise.

“I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD. Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.”Psalm 104:33-35, KJV

“Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever . . . Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD.” Psalm 106:1, 48, KJV

Read and be blessed