Praise: Why, When, Who

Praise is a common "church word." Just say the word and millions of word associations form in our mind-

"Praise Him, Praise Him, all the little children.."
"Praise the Lord."
"I will praise him, for all of my days..."
"worthy of praise..."

But, there's a lot to this that we refer to as praise, and the Bible is brimming with information on praise. Why is it right to offer praise? When should we offer praise? Who should we praise?


Why

The Lord has anointed Me . . . to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning. —Isaiah 61:1,3

While this topic deserves a 20 page paper, I believe that at least one of the reasons behind praise is inherent in this verse. God desires to give the world beauty for ashes, joy for mourning. In praising God, we are completing His will for the world. We are doing what He has ordained to be done... we are offering a bit of God Himself. Our praise is beautiful, our praise is joyful. We exchange the ashes for the beauty and the mourning for the joy in our decision to praise the Lord.


When

25 When they had slaughtered the bull, they brought the boy to Eli, 26 and she said to him, "As surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD. 27 I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. 28 So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD." And he worshiped the LORD there. -1 Samuel 1:25-28

This morning I am again struck by Hannah's faithfulness. God knows first hand how difficult it is to give up a child, and Hannah had promised her first born to the Lord, so that is what she did. Not only did she give her son in service to the Lord, she worshiped the Lord for His blessing... instead of mourning the loss of her child. I cannot think of a more beautiful depiction of turning her joy into morning that the lovely song of praise in 1 Samuel 2.


Who

38The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39"Return home and tell how much God has done for you." So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.- Luke 8:38-39

Additionally, this verse reminds me this morning that we are not simply to praise anyone or anything. Praise in a Biblical sense is meant of the one who is worthy of praise, the Lord our God. Now I think it's important to note here that the man, as many in that day, may not have recognized Jesus as Lord, as a part of the Holy Trinity. Or perhaps he did. These two verses hold a certain essence of ambiguity. Does Luke mean to tell us that in telling about "how much Jesus had done for him," the man was recognizing Jesus' power. Or was he missing the point and not treating Jesus as God?

This Sunday, I painted Easter Eggs with the children in the church, and we talked about its symbol of the trinity- shell, white yolk/ father, son, holy spirit. Whether we praise either one of these with words, we are in essence praising the whole... and our praise should be offered to God- father, son and holy spirit... not to some other third party such as money, wealth, fame, ambition, etc.

Praise!
Because it shows who God is and completes His purpose,
Praise!
Even difficult times,
Praise!
The Lord, God of all- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit