What is the most repeated instruction in the Bible? Don’t reach for your phone, not even Google can answer this question. This instruction is repeated in different words and most often it is implied rather than spoken directly. It is to praise the Lord. Sometimes the words worship, extol, honour, glorify and serve are used as synonyms for praise. In some instances the Bible instructs us to give our lives to the Lord or commands us not to worship idols. It all boils down to praise. In this article, we will explore praise as the purpose of our existence, learn from the examples of Biblical men and women who made a lifestyle of praising Him as well as practical examples of what praise looks like in our everyday lives.
1. We were created to praise the Lord
Nowhere in the Bible are we called to praise God more than in the Psalms. King David repeatedly reminds himself and calls God’s people to do so. You would probably find more than a hundred examples like these:
Psalm 95:6 : “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!”
Psalm 150:6 : “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!”
Psalm 99:5 : “Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!”
King David understood that our holy and mighty God is deserving of great praise. Everything that has breath, referring to humans who received our breath from His mouth and all other living beings, exist to praise Him.
God Himself reveals this intention through the Prophet Isiah:
Isaiah 43:21 : “The people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.”
But why does God require our praise above all else? He is certainly worthy, but there is more to it than that. For the answer, we need to dig deep into Biblical history.
We know that Satan was already on earth and entered the Garden of Eden in the form of the snake who tempted Eve. Why do you think he was here on earth at the first place? This is because earth was the territory of the devil before the creation of mankind. Satan and a third of the angels were cast from heaven to earth for their rebellion against God (Isaiah 14:12 -17). This is why Satan is referred to as “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2). His evil reign was on earth before God created and placed man on earth. God’s plan was and still is to defeat Satan. Out of the dust of the earth on a planet ruled by evil, He created us, a people whose sole purpose is to praise Him. We were placed behind enemy lines to bring light with our praise, to proclaim God as ruler even in the darkness. Our spiritual weapon is our praise.
When we understand the dark history of our planet, we are reminded that we are sojourners and that earth is not our home. We are created for the heavens. Our purpose to praise God on this planet will have eternal consequences.
When we get distracted by the mundane tasks of our daily lives, the grocery lists and tax forms, we forget to live for God. The sun sets and we say our evening prayers, painfully aware that this is perhaps the first bit of time we are setting aside to be with God. Life can pull us away from our purpose, to praise God. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Our praise can be in prayer and song, but it can be so much more. We can make a lifestyle of praise, by focusing on God and turning our hearts to Him even in the midst of our everyday work.
2. God's great people had a life-sytle of praising God
The Bible contains chapters entirely dedicated to telling the stories of men and women who committed their entire lives to praising God. They show us different ways of praising God, by song and prayer, but also by submitting to God’s will and living for Him. Some of them made great sacrifices and got into great danger for staying faithful to God.
David:
We have already touched on the Psalms and the praise of King David. In Psalm 34 we see that he is determined and committed to praising God “ at all times”, it is his primary priority in life. He put this into practice by penning hundreds of Psalms to praise God .
Psalm 34:1-3: “ I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together.”
King David and his musicians
King David also funded and maintained a 24/7 worship project by the tent of the Lord. He employed musicians to make music with the purpose of praising God without ceasing.
1 Chro 25:6-7: “Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the direction of the king. Together with their relatives, who were all trained and skillful in the songs of the LORD, they numbered 288.”
Paul and Silas
Acts 16:25 - 26: “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. At once all the doors flew open and everyone’s chains came loose.”
Paul and Silas understood God is eternally worthy of praise. Even while they were imprisoned in Philippi and must have felt afraid or even angry, they sang to Him and exalted His name. God rewarded their praise and performed a miracle to free them. It is important to note that these verses do not say that they asked God to free them, nor did they use praise to manipulate Him. Praise to God must not come with agendas, instead our hearts must be in a constant state of praise, regardless of our circumstances.
Mary and Joseph
The young virgin Mary was believed to be between the ages of twelve and fourteen, a child by today's standards. When the angel Gabriel gave her the news that she would soon be pregnant with Jesus, she could have found many reasons to object to her sentence. Instead of being afraid of being cast off by her future husband and by society for her apparently illegitimate pregnancy, she replied with these simple and humble words:
Luke 1:38: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word.
With such unwavering faith in the Lord, it is no wonder Gabriel said that the Lord is well pleased with her (Luke 1:28).
After Garbiel appeared to Joseph in a dream, he was just as committed to walk in obedience and praise the Lord.
3. God is praised in Heaven
Revelation 4:8-11: “And each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around and within. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”
And whenever the living creatures give glory, honour, and thanks to the One seated on the throne who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, and they worship Him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
“Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist and came to be.””
John’s vision of heaven reveals the extent of praise that our God deserves. As He is the source of all life, He is worthy of constant unceasing praise. These heavenly beings are created for this purpose and so are we. Our praise looks different in our daily lives, after all we need to eat, drink, sleep and work. But our hearts must reflect the kind of praise displayed in heaven.
4 Come before Him with praise
Psalm 100: “Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness; come into His presence with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and bless His name. For the LORD is good, and His loving devotion endures forever; His faithfulness continues to all generations.”
Psalm 100 tells us how to approach God. God is not our magic 8 - ball or our genie in a bottle. We do not use Him to answer our questions or grant our wishes. When we approach Him, we are approaching the King of kings. We must enter His gates with thanksgiving. We should honour and praise Him, not only as a prelude to a request, but as the main subject of our prayers. When we ask Him what we need with a heart that is truly in praise and gratitude, He hears us and answers us.
We were created to praise the Lord. This is not a mystery. Mary and Joseph knew it when they instantly submitted to God and gave their lives for His purposes. Paul and Silas didn’t need to feel joyful to praise and sing hymns and David used his talent for music to praise the Lord. As men and women of God we should enter His gates with thanksgiving. Our lives should be characterised by praise, as God placed us on earth with the distinct purpose of worshipping Him and being His light on a dark and evil planet. Our praise should be without ceasing, “whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do . . . we do it all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31) We must live with a posture of praise, with our hearts always turned to the Lord.
This article is summarised by Christine Van Reenen from the semon of Ps Marko Kiroglu on 18 February 2024
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