Mark preached from Psalm 50:23 in the morning:
“Whoever offers praise glorifies me.”
The topic of how we praise God raised some interesting points: we can praise God with our mouths (by singing and speaking and shouting), by reading the Scriptures, with our bodies (hands lifted high, dancing, bowing down etc.) and most of all, perhaps, with our whole lifestyle. It’s important to praise God on our own and together with His people (Ps 34:1-3) and to praise Him continually since we were designed to praise God. God has ordained (commanded, appointed) praise even from infants and children (Ps 8:1-2).
Then we looked at the results of praising God: how it brings God’s power down on God’s people and brings strength, power, encouragement and vision to us. But, despite the many blessings and benefits of praise, it is not a case of our praise earning God’s favour. It’s not a case of “I’ll scratch Your back, God, so that You can scratch mine!” Praise really arises from a heart that longs to spend time with God.
In looking at the Triumphal entry, in Luke 19:28-40, we read that the Pharisees rebuked Jesus because His disciples were praising so much. Jesus’s reply was that “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Surely we will not be outpraised by stones!
Matt Redman’s song ‘The Glory of Our King’ takes this theme even further:
“The rocks are gonna cry out if we don’t,
Now’s the time to raise a song
Hear creation shout loud
We will join our voices to that sound
Stand up, stand up
The time has come
Sing it out, sing an anthem to His name
A generation worshipping unashamed
Give it all for the glory of our King
We will run, we will run after Your heart;
We believe You are all that You say You are.
Give it all for the glory of our King
The church is waking up now
To be Your hands and feet upon this earth
Send us in Your power,
as we take heaven to a broken world
Stand up, stand up
The time has come
We are, we are a chosen people
We are, we are called to follow
We are, we are Your generation
You are, you are the God who saves us
You are, You are the God who sends us
You are, You are the God who’s with us.”
May we learn to praise our great God even more!