Who Can Praise the Lord?

Psalm 148

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanks for stoping by on this holiday!

On a day like today, we need to be clear on a couple of key things:

We have a lot to praise God for! (See previous posts for some of these.)
We are a part of the people that this praise is to come from.

For this second point, we’re going to look at Psalm 148. This Psalm answers one of the most fundamental questions about praise: Who should do the praising?

Who Should Praise?

A quick read through this psalm would yield a pretty long list of people and things that are to praise God. Including angels, the sun, moon, stars, oceans, elements of weather, geographical features, trees, animals, and people from every age and station of life are to praise the LORD.

To boil this down into one simple application: You are to praise the LORD.

The fact that nature Praises God should be a challenge to mankind.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament sheweth his handywork.”
Psalm 19:1

The heavens and earth declare God’s glory and point to His character. Why shouldn’t I? Why shouldn’t you?

Why Should we Praise?

This psalm, like many others, gives a small sample of things we can praise God for. These are seen in two parts

God’s Act of Creation

5 Let them praise the name of the Lord: For he commanded, and they were created.
6 He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: He hath made a decree which shall not pass.
Psalm 148:5–6

God’s command was all that was needed to create all that we see in this world. What a Mighty God!

God’s Name and Glory

13 Let them praise the name of the Lord: 
For his name alone is excellent; 
His glory is above the earth and heaven. 
14 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. 
Psalm 148:13–14

The more we know about God’s name and glory the more natural praise becomes. His name and glory are unmatched, and yet He exalts His people (specifically Israel in this context.)

Your Turn

“Praise ye the LORD.”

This statement, this command begins and ends Psalm 148.

Take it to heart. If the rocks and trees, the birds and flowers are praising God right now can’t you?

“Praise ye the LORD.”

Praise is Good

Psalm 92

The title to Psalm 92 stuck with me: “A Psalm or Song for the sabbath day.” Psalm 92 was written to be sung on the Jewish day of rest. The day that was modeled after God’s day of rest when He has completed His work in creation (Gen 2:2-3).

Do you want to be Happy in your work?

Do you long for Victory?

Take a couple of minutes to read Psalm 92, then come back and we’ll look at the connection between these things and praise.

Paise is Good

We like to give thanks when we have time for it. We like to sing songs of worship at church or if we’re having a happy day. But is thanksgiving and praise still good when we’re busy, stressed, sad?

“1 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, 
And to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: 
2 To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, 
And thy faithfulness every night, 
3 Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; 
Upon the harp with a solemn sound.” 
Psalm 92:1–3

Would you agree that praising God is good? Would you agree that it’s a worthy use of time and effort? Do you ever neglect the praise of God? I have. Some days, I do. What are the days you most often forget to praise God? Are they your busiest days? Saddest days? Happiest days?

These questions aren’t meant to make anyone feel bad. The answers show us the priority this “good thing” gets in our lives.

What’s worse is that I have discovered that I most often neglect giving thanks and praise when I am the busiest for God, or on days when I have a greater opportunity to rest.

I think we miss some of the blessings of thanksgiving and praise when we limit it to just when we feel like it.

This psalmist knew it was good to give thanks and to sing praise. He knew it was good in the morning and at night. He knew that these songs of praise would be good when they were accompanied by many kinds of instruments.

Look for God’s lovingkindness and faithfulness every day.

God Gives Progress

Perspective is key here.

God gives progress. Look at how the psalmist expresses this:

"For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: 
I will triumph in the works of thy hands.” 
Psalm 92:4

Our gladness and sense of accomplishment aren’t tied to just what we get done, but in the fact that God is working. Our victory isn’t contingent on our individual success, but in the works of God’s hands.

Your Turn

We are focused on giving thanks this time of year. We have a couple of holidays coming up in the United States that naturally lend themselves to thinking about how God has blessed. In this time we can more easily see how God is working. So, let’s use this time to help us build a habit of praise. Here’s your challenge. Before you let yourself doom scroll Facebook or Twitter:

Open your Bible to see how God works

Read the psalms or really any passage of scripture. Keep your eyes open to how God is working. Look for His attributes, names, and gifts to mankind.

Write down some things that you are thankful for

Focus on praising God for His many gifts, His names, His attributes. Don’t miss the little things. God’s goodness surrounds us each and every day.

Listen to and Sing Songs of Praise

There are many, many songs and hymns of praise that fit with Thanksgiving and Christmas time. Choose a few of these and make them easy to access. Music is a great way to help us see God’s greatness.

The Most Important Thing

You walk in to church, this meeting is going to be different you’ve decided that you’re going to do the most important thing first, then the next most important thing, then the next…

So you walk right past all your friends, you bypass the coffee table, and you start. You’re not listening to announcements or reaching for a hymnal. You bow your head and with the rest of the congregation you start praying. This prayer is meaningful, not quick and formal. You pray for each other, then for lost people around you to be saved. Then you pray for your government officials by name, even the ones you don’t like.

You see, if we take the Biblical approach to church meetings the most important thing we do is pray.

1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
1 Timothy 2:1–2

First of All

I like the focus of this statement, “first of all.” While there are lots of things we can (and should) do in church meetings, this one is first. First in priority if not in order of service. While I don’t think this post will prompt all church attendees to stop talking to each other before church, I hope I can remind you in the next few paragraphs of the great value of prayer.

Pray, pray, pray, pray

This passage points out four areas of prayer, or kinds of prayer. Supplications, Prayers, Intercessions, and Giving Thanks.

Think through these when you’re praying. I know personally I can get a bit self-focused in prayer (supplication), when I really need to be praying for others (intercession) or praising God for all that He has done for me (giving of thanks).

Even when praying as a church we can be in seasons of difficulty where we wouldn’t naturally consider thanksgiving, or when we are blessed and praising but don’t bear the burdens of others in Intercession.

How To Make it Important

Application comes down to personal choices. In personal prayer make the time to pray meaningfully. Make this time as early in the day as you can. This is never easy, but it’s worth it. (More could be said about this but I’ll hold off for a future post.)

In church, don’t let prayer become rote or obligatory. Prayer isn’t a transition between things in the order of service, prayer is talking to The Almighty, prayer answering God Who knows when you’re just going through the motions.

When you pray publicly, pray to God. Don’t pray for the approval of anyone else hearing. Their approval is fleeting. God is looking for faithful sincerity.

What about you?

Write in the comments below: How do you do your personal prayer time? How has your church applied this teaching that you think might be helpful to others?