Psalm 135: 1
Praise the LORD!
Praise the name of the LORD;
Praise Him, you servants of the LORD.
Why praise the Lord? How do you praise the Lord? The Bible tells us to; I guess that is reason enough. That usually does not motivate us though, at least not long term. There are other good reasons to enter into praise. One big reason is that it helps us connect with Him. As I wrote last week, it is a way to seek His presence. He inhabits the praise of His people (Psalm 22: 3).
The reason I am working my way to today, is that it makes you feel good. If ever you are depressed, praise the Lord. You cannot be depressed while praising God. It’s true. Now, it may take a bit of time to get your heart switched over into praise but once you do, the depression will lift. You won’t “feel” like praising God but as you begin, things within you start to release and your spirit experiences the lifting effects of praise.
The next question becomes, “How do you praise the Lord?” This is a personal question. What works for me may not work for you. I knew someone who danced with her hands. I couldn’t make myself do it, but her hands were beautiful in their expression. There are people who dance. I sing. Ultimately, for many of us it boils down to the words, that come out. Perhaps they don’t come easily at first. Perhaps we begin at a loss for words. The secret is in beginning.
What do you say? Start simply. “Father, I praise you.” Praise Him for who He is. Praise Him for His attributes. Once you begin thinking about Him, how big He is, how kind He is, other thoughts begin to flow. Thanksgiving easily becomes part of praise. “Thank you for salvation. Thank you for your son.” If you begin, your spirit begins to lift and your heart finds more and more to express.
May I encourage you today? Even if you have never felt comfortable in praise or perhaps even never engaged in praise before, get alone and begin to envelope yourself in all His goodness. Tell Him all the things you appreciate about Him, how He is loving, kind, gentle, etc. Just keep lavishing praise on Him and observe how good it makes you feel.
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