Psalm 150:1-6,
Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.
Praise him for his mighty acts:praise him according to his excellent greatness.
Praise him with the sound of the trumpet:praise him with the psaltery and harp.
Praise him with the timbrel and dance:praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
Praise him upon the loud cymbals:praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
Let everything that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.
INTRODUCTION:Christians often speak of "praising God," and the Bible commands all living creatures to praise the Lord (Psalm150:6). One Hebrew word for "praise" is yadah, meaning "praise, give thanks, or confess." A second word often translated as "praise" in the Old Testament is zamar, "sing praise." A third word translated as "praise" is halal (the root of hallelujah), meaning "to praise, honour, or commend." All three terms contain the idea of giving thanks and honour to the one who is worthy of praise.
MEANING AND INSTANCES OF PRAISES TO GOD
Praise is the joyful recounting of all that God has done for us. It is closely intertwined with thanksgiving as we offer back to God appreciation for His mighty works on our behalf. It is merely the truthful acknowledgment of the righteous acts of another. Since God has done many wonderful deeds, He is worthy of praise (Psalm 18:3).
The book of Psalms is a collection of songs filled with praises to God. Among them are Psalm 9:2 and Psalm 18:3. Praise must also be given to God both for who He is and for His great power (Psalm 21 : 13). Psalm 150 uses the term praise thirteen times in six verses, in the New Testament, there are examples of praise given to Jesus. Matthew 8:2; 21:16; 28:17). Jesus accepted praise as God. The early church often shared in times of praise. For examples the first church in Jerusalem included a focus on worship (Acts 2:42-43). The church leaders at Antioch prayed, worshiped, and fasted during the time Paul and Barnabas were caled into missionary work (Acts 13:1-5). Many of Paul's letter extended sections of praise to the Lord (1 Timothy 3:14-16;
PRAISING GOD IS A COMMAND
Throughout the Bible, the commands to "praise the Lord" are too numerous to mention. Angels and the heavenly hosts are commanded to praise the Lord (Psalm 89:5; 103:20; 148:2). All inhabitants of the earth are instructed to praise the Lord (Psalm 138:4; Romans 15:11
We can praise Him with singing (Isaiah 12:5; Psalm 9:11), with shouting (Psalm 33:1; 98:4), with dance (Psalm 150:4), and musical instruments (1 Chronicles 13:8; Psalm 108:2; 150:3-5).
However, there are those times when God did not come through the way we thought He would. The medical test comes back positive. The spouse wants a divorce. A child is wayward. The mortgage company calls in the loan. God seems very far away, and praise is the last thing to bubble up from our hearts. We can not see His goodness, and circumstances scream that He has forgotten us. To praise God in those times require personal sacrifice. When we bring a "sacrifice of praise" (Hebrews 13:15), we choose to believe that, even though life is not going as we think it should, God is still good and can be trusted (Psalm 135:2; Nahum 1:7). When we choose to praise God in spite of the storms, He is honoured, and our faith grows deeper (Malachi Job 13:15).
"CONCLUSION"
At the end of time, all of God's people will join in eternal praise of God. Believers should know that our of God on earth is simply preparation for the celebration of praise that will take place in eternity with the Lord.
