Praise: Giving God Glory
The life of a Christian is to joyfully praise God, by declaring His glory, honor, and power, in good and bad times. Though praise to God can and should be offered in various ways, for our purpose here we will look at praising God with song and in sorrow. Throughout Scripture, praise is continually given to God. In the book of Psalms, which is often viewed as the book of praise, we see verses like, “my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent” (Psalm 30:12), and “I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name” (Psalm 63:4). Praise is outward glori cation of our Heavenly Father, the reason we were created (Isaiah 43:7). 1 Peter 2:9 says of those who have believed and confessed in Christ as their Savior, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
Psalm 150 is an incredible example of praising God. David writes,
“Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty expanse. Praise Him for His mighty deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness. Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre. Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe. Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.”
David writes this psalm with passion, love, and excitement for who God is. This same passion should ll us with joy and cause us to sing and declare the things our God has done for us.
In Colossians 3:16, we are called to let the word of Christ dwell within us and to encourage one another “with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” We are called to praise in order to glorify God. By doing so, we draw closer to the purpose for which He created us. Our praise can also be used by God in drawing others to His faithfulness, truth, and love.
Though easy to joyfully praise God in good times, it is also important to remember that we must joyfully praise God in our sorrow as well. The Bible is full of laments before God. The entire book of Lamentations was written as a lament before God because of the sin of the people of Israel. There is praise to be given to God in the midst of very hard and dif cult circumstances. In Acts 16:22-30, we read the story of two men, Paul and Silas, who are imprisoned for preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ. The story says that at midnight, in the middle of the prison, Paul and Silas began praying and singing hymns of praise to God. Suddenly an earthquake struck the jail and they were freed. The account of the man Job, in Job 1:13-22 and Job 2:7-10, shows his lamenting praise for the harm that comes upon his family and the physical af iction of his body.
As believers, we will be praising God now and for all eternity. John writes of eternity in heaven in Revelation 5:13, “And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, ‘To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.’”
Discussion Points
Do you joyfully praise God in the good times and in the bad times?
Do you encourage other members of the body by living a joyful life of praise?
In what ways, other than song, do you praise God?