Better Than a Hallelujah (Ps. 67:3-5)

Let the peoples praise Thee, O God;
Let all the peoples praise Thee,
Let the nations be glad and sing for joy;
For Thou wilt judge the peoples with uprightness,
And guide the nations on the earth. Selah.
Let the peoples praise Thee, O God;
Let all the peoples praise Thee.
(Psalm 67:3-5, NASB)

Praising God. I love lifting heart and voice and hand in worship and praise. And for those of us who are musicians, when we think of praise, we automatically go to music.

But we can praise Him in so many other ways. We can praise Him by using the gifts He’s blessed us with. We can praise Him by serving others. We can praise Him by meditating on His word.

Do you know you praise God when you tuck your little one in at night and breath a prayer for her? Do you know you praise God when you volunteer at a soup kitchen? Do you know you praise God when you choose to stand firm rather than listen to the lies of the world?

There’s an Amy Grant song I’ve come to love “Better Than a Hallelujah." The lyrics remind me that it's not just songs of praise that reach our Father's heart:

God loves a lullaby
In a mother's tears in the dead of night
Better than a Hallelujah sometimes

God loves the drunkard's cry
The soldier's plea not to let him die
Better than a Hallelujah sometimes

We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful, the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah

The woman holding on for life
The dying man giving up the fight
Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes

The tears of shame for what's been done
The silence when the words won't come
Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes
(song writers: Sarah Hart and Chapin Hartford)

Praise God by honoring Him. Glorifying Him. Surrendering to Him. Loving Him.