PRAISE YE THE LORD

Praise is the outcome of a consideration and estimation that moves us to pleasure, approval and admiration. The word means to exclaim with a loud voice, and so to express our worship of God. The psalm bids us praise His name which describes His character, the Eternal, who was and is and will be, the Same yesterday, today and for ever. It was especially a call to the priests privileged to serve in the house of God. Those believing in Christ today are privileged to come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy, Heb. 4. 16. As priests to God, we must offer the sacrifice of praise continually, the fruit of lips which confess His name, Heb. 13. 15.

“Sing praises unto his name”, v. 3. What weighty reasons there are to do so! First, He is good and His lovingkindness is over all His works. Secondly, He is great, great in His mercy to men, and great in His universal control “in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places”, v. 6; great in His deliverance of Israel of old, great beyond our ken. No wonder the refrain in Psalm 107 is “Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, for his wonderful works to the children of men!”. One gladly says, “O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together”, Psa. 34. 3. An assembly of His people today, like the temple of old, is not only a “house of prayer”, but a house of praise also. The more earnest and persevering our prayers, the more genuinely spiritual will be our praise.

If someone says, “I don’t feel like praising”, remember that we have a High Priest touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and ever living to make intercession for us. Say, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him”, Psa. 42. 5. We must pray for God to give us the oil of joy for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. He delights to do this so “that he might be glorified”, Isa. 61. 3.

“Singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord”, Eph. 5. 19.