Praise Him

Praise him. (Psalm 150:1) 

Have you ever been to an outstanding fireworks display? The first several minutes are exciting, but everyone is waiting to be wowed by the finale. Today’s psalm is the last chapter in the Book of Psalms, and in its own way, it is a grand finale. Throughout this book, the Bible’s prayer book, we read descriptions of God and his relationship with his people. The psalms tell of his might, his faithfulness, and his mercy. And many of them urge us to praise the Lord in response. But as a final call to worship, this psalm tells us where, why, and how to praise the Lord, as well as who should be doing the praising.

Where are we to praise God? In his sanctuary. For the psalmist, this would have meant the Temple, but for us, it is much broader. His sanctuary is in our churches, of course, but it is also in our homes and in the innermost part of our souls.

Why praise God? Because of his majesty and his mighty deeds. Over and over, he demonstrated his power and mercy to the Israelites. Likewise, he has revealed himself to us as a mighty Savior, healer, and restorer.

How should we praise? With music, singing, and even dancing. Our praise should involve our whole body. It should fill the atmosphere!

Finally, who should praise God? That’s simple. Everyone who can breathe is called to praise the Lord!

This “who” includes you. So why not respond to the call right now? Wherever you are, turn to the Lord in the “sanctuary” of your heart. Call to mind all that he has done for you: how he has blessed you, loved you, guarded you, redeemed you, healed you, and transformed you. Next, find a way to praise him for all of this. If you are somewhere private, sing a familiar hymn. If you can’t sing out loud, sing in your heart, or offer a quiet prayer of thankfulness. Or maybe you can express your praise by telling a friend about how good God has been to you. 

Whether through singing or talking or even thinking your praise to the Lord, you can fill your environment with the beauty of prayer. So hold onto this call to praise all day long. Remember, you belong to the Lord, and “Alleluia” is your song!

“Lord, I praise you!”

from wau.org