{"id":4580,"date":"2012-09-09T01:23:23","date_gmt":"2012-09-09T06:23:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/markdroberts\/?p=4580"},"modified":"2015-03-13T15:31:54","modified_gmt":"2015-03-13T20:31:54","slug":"why-we-praise-the-lord-inspiration-from-the-high-calling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/markdroberts\/2012\/09\/09\/why-we-praise-the-lord-inspiration-from-the-high-calling\/","title":{"rendered":"Why We Praise the Lord – Inspiration from the High Calling"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Praise him for his mighty works;
\npraise his unequaled greatness!<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n

Psalm 150:2<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n

\"\"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\u2019s goodness to us. I figure that I have spent over five months of my waking life speaking or singing praise to God.<\/p>\n

Why? Why is it so important to praise the Lord? Why should we do it?<\/p>\n

Of course, the most obvious answer points to the beginning of Psalm 150: \u201cPraise the Lord!\u201d (150:1). The Hebrew of this verse is halelu yah<\/em>, which we know as the word Hallelujah<\/em>. This is a plural imperative that would be rendered in Texanese: \u201cAll y\u2019all praise the Lord.\u201d Scripture commands us to praise God, so we should do it.<\/p>\n

Yet, Psalm 150 provides more than simply a command to praise the Lord. The second verse gives us a partial rationale for our praise: \u201cPraise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness\u201d (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 \u201cunequaled greatness.\u201d To be sure, God\u2019s mighty works reveal his greatness, as does his self-revelation in Scripture.<\/p>\n

As Christians, we believe that God\u2019s 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\u2019s unequaled greatness. We see that God\u2019s greatness includes his willingness to become human, to serve, to suffer, and to die.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION:<\/strong> What helps you to praise the Lord? What hinders your praise? How might you praise the Lord today?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

PRAYER:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven;
\nTo His feet thy tribute bring.
\nRansomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
\nEvermore His praises sing:
\nAlleluia! Alleluia!
\nPraise the everlasting King.<\/p>\n

Praise Him for His grace and favor
\nTo our fathers in distress.
\nPraise Him still the same as ever,
\nSlow to chide, and swift to bless.
\nAlleluia! Alleluia!
\nGlorious in His faithfulness.<\/p>\n

Fatherlike He tends and spares us;
\nWell our feeble frame He knows.
\nIn His hands He gently bears us,
\nRescues us from all our foes.
\nAlleluia! Alleluia!
\nWidely yet His mercy flows.<\/p>\n

Frail as summer\u2019s flower we flourish,
\nBlows the wind and it is gone;
\nBut while mortals rise and perish
\nOur God lives unchanging on,
\nPraise Him, Praise Him, Hallelujah
\nPraise the High Eternal One!<\/p>\n

Angels, help us to adore Him;
\nYe behold Him face to face;
\nSun and moon, bow down before Him,
\nDwellers all in time and space.
\nAlleluia! Alleluia!
\nPraise with us the God of grace. Amen<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cPraise, My Soul, the King of Heaven,\u201d by Henry F. Lyte, 1834. Public domain.
\n_________________________________________________<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Would you like to receive a Daily Reflection like this one in your email inbox each morning?<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how . . . .<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

This devotional comes from The High Calling: Everyday Conversations about Work, Life, and God <\/em>(www.thehighcalling.org<\/a>). 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<\/em> is associated with Laity Lodge, where I work.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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\u2019s goodness to us. I figure that I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":109,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7933],"tags":[16605,17004,21650,21630],"class_list":["post-4580","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-inspiration-high-calling","tag-inspiration","tag-praise","tag-the-high-calling","tag-worship"],"yoast_head":"\nWhy We Praise the Lord - Inspiration from the High Calling<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness! 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