His holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits."
Did you know that in God's eyes, praise is an avenue of sacrifice? So, what exactly is
praise? The dictionary meaning is this: "To express approval or admiration, to glorify,
worship, deserving of praise." Is there anyone more deserving of our admiration, worship
and praise than our blessed Lord? When we praise Him for who He is and what He has
done and is going to do, we are giving unto Him a sacrifice.
Psalms 51:15 - 17 "O Lord, open; Thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth
Thy praise. For Thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou delightest
not in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a
contrite heart, O God, Thou will not despise."
God deserves our praise, He desires our praise and He delights in our praise. Let take
a minute and look at why God deserves our praise.
1. He has forgiven us
Psalms 103:3 "Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases.
who redeemeth thy life from destruction: Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness
and tender mercies."
I had my first grandchild born last week. As precious and sweet as he is, he was born
a sinner. We were all born sinners, we have a sin nature and we are incapable of doing
anything to correct that problem. The only One with power to forgive us is the Lord Jesus
Christ. He has the power because He provided the remedy for our sinful condition through
His death, burial and resurrection. He paid the price that was demanded for our sin. We
can have forgiveness only through Him. Are we thankful for forgiveness of sin! Then we
should praise Him!
Colossians 1:12 - 14 "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet
(acceptable) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath
delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom
of His dear Son: In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the
forgiveness of sins:"
2. He is merciful
Psalms 103:8 - 11 "The LORD is merciful and gracious, show to anger, and
plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide: neither will He keep His anger
forever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according
to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His
mercy toward them that fear Him."
How very thankful we should be that God doesn't give us what we deserve! To be
merciful means to show leniency towards a guilty person, to have compassion towards
the guilty. Mercy goes against everything that comes naturally to us. When someone
is guilty of a crime, we self-righteously think that they should pay...you do the crime, you
do the time! I'm so thankful that our Heavenly Father doesn't apply this thinking with
us. He has been merciful, compassionate towards us, not giving us what we deserve,
but because of the sacrifice of His beloved Son, He shows mercy to the guilty. We walk
in Spiritual freedom because of the great mercy of our wonderful God...praise Him!
1 Peter 1:3 & 4 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which
according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and
undefiled, and fadeth not away, reserved heaven for you."
3. He remembers what we are
Psalms 103:14 "For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust."
Psalms 78:39 "For He remembered that they were but flesh: a wind that passeth
away, and cometh not again."
The Lord remembers that we are but dust, a vapor that disappears before you can
even rightly distinguish where it came from or where it went. He is our creator, He
knows our limitations and frailties, and He is there for us with the strength that we
need to do as His will requires. Are you thankful for the gentleness that He shows
towards His feeble creation...praise Him!
Job 8:9 "For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days
upon earth are a shadow."
4. He loves us
1 John 3:1a "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us,
that we should be called the sons of God:"
"Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so...yes, Jesus loves me; yes,
Jesus love me; yes Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so." To be loved by the Holy
God of the universe, the Creator, Sustainer, The Lord of Lord and King of Kings,
the Alpha and Omega, Abba Father! We do not understand the love that would
compel a righteous God to send His own beloved Son to the cross to die for you
and I, sinners, the enemies of grace. But I will spend my eternity thanking Him
for that love. Start today by praising Him!
1 John 4:10 "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and
sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
This list could go on and on with the things that we can praise God for! There is
His grace, goodness, patience, wisdom, guidance, help, presence, power, majesty,
might, compassion, protection, preservation, pity, holiness, peace, righteousness,
judgement, purity, chastisement and truth. This is not an exhaustive list by any
means. Thinking on these things should put our hearts in praise mode, we should
be in the spirit of praise to our dear Savior all day long!
Creation itself praises it's Creator.
Isaiah 55:11 & 12 "So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth;
it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please,
and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. For ye shall go out with joy,
and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth
before you into singing, and all the tree's of the field shall clap their hands."
In Luke chapter 19:28 - 48 we find the account of the Lord's entry into Jerusalem.
The whole multitude of the disciples that came with Him spread their clothes in
the way, rejoicing and praising God loudly for all the mighty works that they had
been witness too. There were some Pharisees among the crowd who were annoyed
with this display of worship and asked Jesus to rebuke His disciples. This was the
answer from Jesus;
vs 40 "And He answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should
hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out."
All of creation points to the Almighty God of the universe; ready to cry out in
adoration and praise to their maker! Where is mans praise? We who have the
most to be thankful for. The angels in Heaven worship and praise the Lord, but
we have more to praise Him for then they, for we have been redeemed by the
precious shed blood of our Savior. Our praise should be the most fervent and
devoted heard!
Are you giving your Lord and Savior the sacrifice of praise that is due Him? This
is an important part of our worship, don't deprive the Lord of praise. We are told
not to forget all His benefits! I encourage you to make a list of all that you have to
praise God for in your life...it might surprise how long that list will become!
Psalms 34:1 - 3 "I will bless the LORD at all times: His praise shall continually
be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall
hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His
name together."
Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;
Join me in glad adoration!
Praise to the Lord, who o'er all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen, how thy desires e'er have been,
Granted in what He ordaineth.
Praise to the Lord, Who with marvelous wisdom hath made thee!
Decked thee with health, and with loving hand guided and stayed thee;
How oft in grief hath He not brought thee relief,
Spreading His wings for to shade thee!
Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him!
Let the Amen sound from His people again;
Gladly for aye we adore Him.
Joachim Neander
Praise to the Lord, Who with marvelous wisdom hath made thee!
Decked thee with health, and with loving hand guided and stayed thee;
How oft in grief hath He not brought thee relief,
Spreading His wings for to shade thee!
Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him!
Let the Amen sound from His people again;
Gladly for aye we adore Him.
Joachim Neander
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