“Praise Ye The Lord”

by Micky Galloway

Psalms 148, “Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the heights. Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded, and they were created. He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass. Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps: Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word: Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars: Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl: Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth: Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children: Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven. He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the Lord” (KJV).

Psalms 150:6, “Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord” (KJV).

In such magnificent expressions as these, the Psalmist praised his Creator and gave thanks with the beauty of language that lifts our spirits and inspires us as we seek to praise the God of heaven. In fact many of the songs we sing are based on the words of these passages.

Praising God is the purpose of our lives as Christians. The apostle Peter said, “But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for (God’s) own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies (praises KJV) of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (I Peter 2:9). The one great objective for which we are redeemed is that we might proclaim the majestic glory of God. He is worthy of our adoration, “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth, that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever” (I Peter 4:11). The Hebrew writer says, “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually …” (Hebrews 13:15). Luke tells that the first Christians praised God daily, “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favour with all the people” (Acts 2:46-47 KJV).

Such devotion finds expression. When God’s children, redeemed by the blood of the spotless Lamb of God, employ the high and holy priesthood of Christ, they do so from true hearts when they “offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which make confession to his name” (Hebrews 13:15). The words of praise from our lips, coming from our hearts are like beautiful fruit laid upon the altar. It is with these sacrifices that God is now delighted. It is this sentiment springing up within the believer’s heart which causes him with the Psalmist to exclaim, “Bless the Lord, 0 my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name” (Psalms 103:1 KJV).

Praising God goes hand in hand with giving thanks. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “For all things (are) for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound unto the glory of God” (II Corinthians 4:15), “And he that supplieth seed to the sower and bread for food, shall supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness: ye being enriched in everything unto all liberality, which worketh through us thanksgiving to God” (II Corinthians 9:10-11). To the Philippians he wrote, “In nothing be anxious; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6). Likewise from a Roman prison Paul wrote to the Colossians, “As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, (so) walk in him, rooted and builded up in him, and established in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding in thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:6-7). Praise and thanksgiving then, must be the object of our service to God. Such English expressions as “Praise,” “Give thanks,” “Thanksgiving,” “Sing praise,” “Shout with joy,” “Glorify,” “Honor,” and “Hallelujah” are expressions of tribute to Jehovah from both men and angels. In the book of Psalms alone, the word “Praise” occurs 160 times.

Praising God implies an understood reverence for God, the eternally self-existing God who has manifested His creative power over the physical universe. He has made known His spiritual character in His spoken and written word, and demonstrated His interest in and love for sinful mankind in His oral and written communication through the person, teachings, and works of His Son, Jesus Christ. Praising God involves my personal recognition of who He is and what He has done for me.

Let us praise God and be thankful for the relationships we have “in Christ.” Let us be thankful for our brethren! It is not an accident that in nearly every epistle the apostle Paul wrote, he expressed thankfulness for his brethren. Read such expressions of thanks for yourself (Romans 1:8; I Corinthians 1:4; Ephesians 1:15ff; Philippians 1:3; Colossians 1:3ff; I Thessalonians 1:2; 2:13; II Thessalonians 1:3; 2:13; II Timothy 1:3; Philemon 4). It is unfortunate that we do not avail ourselves of this great source of help and encouragement.

Praise ye the Lord, for indeed we are richly blessed! The great multitude in heaven praised God, “Hallelujah; Salvation, and glory, and power, belong to our God … And the four and twenty elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God that sitteth on the throne, saying, Amen; Hallelujah. And a voice came forth from the throne, saying, Give praise to our God, all ye his servants, ye that fear him, the small and the great.” Again, the multitude of heaven said, “Hallelujah: for the Lord our God, the Almighty reigneth. Let us rejoice and be exceeding glad, and let us give the glory unto him …” (Revelation 19:1-7).