Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Mark D. Roberts

Home
Evangelical
Why We Praise the Lord – Inspiration from the High Calling

Why We Praise the Lord – Inspiration from the High Calling

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 3:31 pm by Mark D. Roberts

Why We Praise the Lord – Inspiration from the High Calling 2015-03-13T15:31:54-05:00 Mark D. Roberts

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Praise him for his mighty works;
praise his unequaled greatness!

Psalm 150:2

Each week, millions of Christians throughout the world gather together in order to offer praise to God. Moreover, we praise God in our private devotions and, in many cases, throughout the day as we celebrate God’s goodness to us. I figure that I have spent over five months of my waking life speaking or singing praise to God.

Why? Why is it so important to praise the Lord? Why should we do it?

Of course, the most obvious answer points to the beginning of Psalm 150: “Praise the Lord!” (150:1). The Hebrew of this verse is halelu yah, which we know as the word Hallelujah. This is a plural imperative that would be rendered in Texanese: “All y’all praise the Lord.” Scripture commands us to praise God, so we should do it.

Yet, Psalm 150 provides more than simply a command to praise the Lord. The second verse gives us a partial rationale for our praise: “Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness” (150:2). First of all, we praise God for what he has done, for his deeds of power. These would include both creation and salvation, in all of their dimensions. Second, we praise God, not for what he has done, but for who he is, for his extraordinary character, for his “unequaled greatness.” To be sure, God’s mighty works reveal his greatness, as does his self-revelation in Scripture.

As Christians, we believe that God’s mightiest work is centered in Jesus Christ. In Jesus, God became human, making himself known to us, teaching us about his kingdom, bearing our sin on the cross, and breaking the power of death through the resurrection. Moreover, in Jesus we glimpse God’s unequaled greatness. We see that God’s greatness includes his willingness to become human, to serve, to suffer, and to die.

The more we reflect on God, on this great works and his unparalleled greatness, the more we will be inspired to praise him, and the more our praise will be glorifying to God because it will be filled with the truth of what he has done and who he is.

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: What helps you to praise the Lord? What hinders your praise? How might you praise the Lord today?

PRAYER:

Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven;
To His feet thy tribute bring.
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
Evermore His praises sing:
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise the everlasting King.

Praise Him for His grace and favor
To our fathers in distress.
Praise Him still the same as ever,
Slow to chide, and swift to bless.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Glorious in His faithfulness.

Fatherlike He tends and spares us;
Well our feeble frame He knows.
In His hands He gently bears us,
Rescues us from all our foes.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Widely yet His mercy flows.

Frail as summer’s flower we flourish,
Blows the wind and it is gone;
But while mortals rise and perish
Our God lives unchanging on,
Praise Him, Praise Him, Hallelujah
Praise the High Eternal One!

Angels, help us to adore Him;
Ye behold Him face to face;
Sun and moon, bow down before Him,
Dwellers all in time and space.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise with us the God of grace. Amen.

“Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven,” by Henry F. Lyte, 1834. Public domain.
_________________________________________________

Would you like to receive a Daily Reflection like this one in your email inbox each morning?

Here’s how . . . .

This devotional comes from The High Calling: Everyday Conversations about Work, Life, and God (www.thehighcalling.org). You can read my Daily Reflections there, or sign up to have them sent to your email inbox each day. This website contains lots of encouragement for people who are trying to live out their faith in the workplace. The High Calling is associated with Laity Lodge, where I work.

Inspiration from the High Calling

Previous Post

September 7, 2012

Strong Recommendation for a Great Book

Next Post

September 10, 2012 In a Digital Age, Is There a Place for Pen and Paper?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advent Advent Calendar Alissa Wilkinson Archeology Art and Faith Ash Wednesday Bible Books Business Business and Faith Christian Year (Liturgical or Church Year) Christmas Christmas according to Dickens Christmas, Culture, and Christ Christmas: Keeping Christmas Well Church and Culture Church and Ministry Church and Technology Church Life Church: What is a Church? Cities Code of Ethics for Pastors Contentment Creativity Cultural Commentary Culture Daily Reflections Dallas Willard Deliberating on Digital Dignity Easter Education Ephesus and the New Testament Ethics Eugene Peterson Evangelical Existential Questions Faith Faith and Work Family Food Friendship Fun Good Reads Gospel Centered Christianity Grace Handel's Messiah Harvard University Health High Calling History Holidays Holy Spirit Holy Week Hospitality How Does God Guide Us? Hunger Games Insights for Leaders - De Pree Center Inspiration from the High Calling Jesus Jesus: Following Him as a Disciple Jesus: Seven Last Words Jesus: Was Jesus Married? Jesus: What Was His Message? Jesus: Why Did He Have to Die? Laity Lodge Leadership Leadership Conversation Lent Les Miserables Life for Leaders Linda's Advent Doodles Linda's Lenten Doodles Living Well Loving Neighbors Max De Pree Center for Leadership Mental Health Mission of God and Missional Church Money Moral Dilemmas Mormonism Movies Nature New York City Pastors and Churches Pentecost Photos to Share Poetry Police Blotter Politics Prayer Preachers Portal Preaching Presbyterian Church Quotations Reading the Times Recommendations Reflecting on Technology Religion and Culture Ruminations Sabbath Science Seven Last Words Sexual Harassment Social Media Something to Think About Spiritual Warfare Sports Stations of the Cross Stephen Hawking: Heaven and Faith Stories Technology and Culture Technology and Education Technology and Mental Health Technology Bits Texas Thanksgiving The High Calling Thin Places Uncategorized Vocation Women Words Work Worship

Select a Month November 2018 October 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 March 2017 February 2017 December 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 April 2015 March 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 November 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was Hezekiah's prophet counselor?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Ezekiel Jeremiah Nathan Isaiah