Friday, April 01, 2011

Whole-hearted Praise (Ps. 111:1)

Praise the LORD!
I will praise the LORD with my whole heart,
In the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.

(Psalm 111:1, NKJV)

One of the greatest privileges we have as followers of Christ is praising our Lord. He—the Sovereign Creator of all things—wants to hear our voices. When we lift our voices in abandoned praise, He is well-pleased.

And we can praise Him at any time. As we rise in the morning. As we go through our days. As we lie down at night. Words of praise can and should fill our hearts—our whole hearts.

Praise Him for His grace, His mercy, and His love. Praise Him for His holiness, His justice, and His righteousness.

Praise Him for His attributes: He is our refuge and strength (Ps. 46:1). He is our Provider (Gen. 22:14). He is our Healer (Ex. 15:26). He is the Lord of Peace (Judges 6:24).

Praise Him through struggles, knowing He’s working everything out for good (Rom. 8:28). Praise Him for His blessings, knowing He’s taking care of you (1 Peter 5:7).

Sing songs of praise. Memorize and recite psalms that lift His name in worship. Stand in the congregation of other believers and lift your hands in reverence.

He is worthy of our praises—our whole-heart praises.

No comments: