Expressions of Praise
Psalm 34: 1 – 3; “I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.”
The content of the psalm is not tied to the specific event, so it could be used in a general way by God’s people. Boast in the Lord is best defined in Jer. 9: 23 & 24 where it means to understand and know Jehovah, which is further explained as knowing Jehovah show “lovingkindness, judgement, and righteousness, in the earth. In other words, it is knowing who God is and what He does – having a personal knowledge and experience of Him through trusting in Him.
Glorifying the Lord is not limited to worshipping in the church. In fact, praise ought to permeate the believer’s life.
One obvious way that we praise the Lord is with our voice. We can either speak or sing our worship. Psalm writers put adoration into words and set their love to music. True worship also flows from the mouths of believers who are focused upon God’s attributes. They desire to honor Him because of who He is, what He has done, and what He has promised for the future.
Genuine worship allows the Lord to fill our hearts and minds with His presence. But praising the Lord with wrong motives is an empty act. For example, if we’re lifting our hands and singing loud only because doing so feels good, then what we’re after is an emotional high. That kind of selfish “praise” falls short of heaven.
Our God is praised when we serve Him. People are created for the purpose of bringing glory and honor to His name. Therefore, nothing should limit our willingness to work for the King, particularly when we have a chance to share Him with others. Christ is honored when His followers speak boldly about His grace and His work – believer’s testimonies are an amazing form of praise that magnifies God’s name.
Jesus Christ is worth more than any treasure this world offers. Loving Him and understanding what He’s done for you should be all the motivation you need to praise Him with your life. Don’t just sing; serve His kingdom and share the gospel.
Help to make God’s throne room ring with worship.