THE PRIVILEGE OF PRAISE

“For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised…” – Psalm 96:4a

We mature in the Lifestyle of Praise to the extent that we acknowledge and appreciate THE PRIVILEGE of PRAISE: “For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods” (v.4). Praise is a privilege that should not be taken lightly! “For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before Him; Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary” (vv.5-6). It is an honour to be invited to connect with the hosts of heaven and saints of all generations to praise the Lord who possesses all honour, majesty, strength, and beauty: “One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts” (Psa.147: 4). What a Holy Privilege Praise is!

What a hallowed Ministry we are called unto! That’s why the Psalmist commands all “families of the peoples” to “give to the LORD the glory due His name” (vv.7-8). As for my family and I, we have covenanted with the Lord to never take for granted this privilege of Praise. God is too great and glorious than to suffer from scarcity of praise! He can never lack praises from human beings or other works of creation. Even if the billions of humanity on earth refuse to praise Him, the rest of creation will rise to the occasion! Jesus said, “…I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out” (Lk.19:40). May stones never have cause to take my place of praise or yours, in Jesus name! Everything in creation praises God: “ALL Your works shall praise You, O LORD, and Your saints shall bless You” (Psa.147: 10).

We often take the privilege of Praise and Worship far too lightly. We get too matey with God or try to bring Him down to our level. Truly, He is our Friend – but an Almighty Friend, a holy Friend. As we come to understand His deep and inexpressible nature, we are delivered from irreverent attitudes in relating with His Presence. And yet He invites and encourages us to come confidently “to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in our time of need” (Heb. 4:16). It is because Jesus our Advocate is at the right hand of God that we dare to come boldly before His throne. When angels acknowledged God’s Person and attributed worth to Him, the temple was filled with smoke (Isa.6:3-4). This undoubtedly refers to the Shekinah glory – the Manifest Presence of God made manifest. So when we attribute worth to God in Praise and Worship, heaven is moved and God shows up and shows off!  

Praise is all about God. He is the Focus of all of our Praise. We must be preoccupied with who He is, what He has done, and what He has promised to and will surely do. Authentic Praise from a pure heart gladdens God exceedingly. It is the proclamation across the universe of His love, wisdom, power, provision, and other wonders. Through Praise, God’s heart is freshly warmed toward us and He manifests His glorious Presence in our midst in even more intimate fellowship. There will never be a day when we have nothing to praise God for because His character enough is worthy to be praised. So whatever our day brings, we must value the privilege of praising the Lord. 

Reflect: What can I praise God for today? Pause for few minutes and see how many reasons you can find to thank God. When was the last time I had to preach to yourself? Take few additional minutes to meditate on God’s Word. What are some things you cherish about God's character – His Love, Faithfulness, Power or Purity? It is not sufficient to thank God for what He does; we can also celebrate Him for who He is. Get set to praise the Lord beyond the average. Praise-worthy events shall happen in all aspects of your life. As you appreciate and maximise this privilege, and praise God, He’ll raise you and equip you to prevail by praise!