So how important is it really that we as His people take time to praise Him?
We are told to eleven times in this one Psalm. Eleven times in these six verses. Seems to me that it is not only important but a necessary part of our relationship with Him! We see the importance of Praising Him throughout both the Old and New Testaments!
Check out Paul and Silas. '...Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and every one's chains were loosed. ..." Acts 16:24-36
Thrown in jail. Put in stocks. Time to mummer, grumble, and complain right? NO! Do you need a victory or to see God move in a situation? Than praise Him in it! Than watch and see what happens because praise will always change the atmosphere you find yourself in. Why? Because you will reap what you sow! If you will sow praise into the heavens than you will reap the benefits and blessings of heaven flowing back to you.
We see the importance f this truth in the life of David in the Old Testament as well. ...And it was told King David, saying, "The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God." So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the city of David with gladness. And so it was, when those bearing the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, that he sacrificed oxen and fatted sheep. Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet. And as the ark of the Lord came into the City of David, Michal, Saul's daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart. So they brought the ark of the Lord, and set it in its place in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. And when David had finished offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts. Then he distributed among all the people, among the whole multitude of Israel, both the women and the men, to everyone a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and cake of raisins. So all the people departed, everyone to his house. Then David returned to bless his household. and Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, "How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!" So David said to Michal, "It was before the Lord, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the Lord. "And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor." Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death. 2 Samuel 6:12-23
This is just one example out of many in the life of David that we can see it laid out pretty clearly how important it is that we not be afraid but rather that we should be able to loose ourselves in an attitude of all out praise for our God! In this example David didn't just say praise the Lord with words but with his whole being. He not only offered sacrifice and offerings, but praised Him with singing and the words of his mouth. I think its important to note that he didn't stop with music and singing either but instead, he went one step further and as it says in Psalm 150; 'he praised Him in the dance.'
Michal on the other hand had an taken a "That not proper" judgemental attitude about his praises for God. She felt he needed to be more reserved and set a 'proper' example. Seems to me, he already did! He had sowed wholehearted his praise unto God and look what he reaped back from God. He came into this place of praise and adoration and was able to do something pretty cool because of it. Take a look!
"And when David had finished offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts. Then he distributed among all the people, among the whole multitude of Israel, both the women and the men, to everyone a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and cake of raisins. So all the people departed, everyone to his house." David out of his attitude of praise was able to feed the nation (both men and women) a triple portion. It said that after he fed the nation he went to bless his own house (Michal) with this triple portion but instead he was met with her 'attitude' and she missed out! Because she couldn't embrace the need to praise God wholeheartedly she ended up barren all her days!
Jesus said, "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." John 4:23-24
Its time that we as believers stop worrying about the opinion of others and instead praise and worship our God with a heart that declares, "I will be even more undignified than this' as we pour out all our worship and Praise Him!
Like David and Michal we have a choice. We can praise Him, reap the benefits, feed the nations with a triple portion! Or like Michal we can choose to not praise and go forth bitter and barren all of our days.
As for me ... I say, PRAISE THE LORD!
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