Psalm 9:1-11
[1] I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.
[2] I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.
[3] When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence.
[4] For thou hast maintained my right and my cause; thou satest in the throne judging right.
[5] Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.
[6] O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: and thou hast destroyed cities; their memorial is perished with them.
[7] But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment.
[8] And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.
[9] The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.
[10] And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.
[11] Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.
Giving Praise to God
Introduction
Our Devotional tells us about Jesus who died and became the sacrifice for all humanity. Jesus was crucified outside the gates of Jerusalem and was buried outside the gates rather than inside the city of Jerusalem as some teach. Our Devotional tells us that we should go forth outside the camp (Jerusalem), because we have no continuing city, but look for the one that is to come.
Therefore, we are to offer the sacrifice of praise to God for sending His son as the one and only sacrifice that can satisfy the broken law of God. We cannot offer a sacrifice that is sufficient. We cannot offer ourselves for the sins of the world. The best thing we can do is offer praise to the one who did what we cannot. In my opinion, Christ died and was buried outside the city as a symbol that He sarificed Himself for the entire world and not just for the Jews whose religion was and is headquartered in the city of Jerusalem.
A Song Of David
Although many of the Psalms are not written by David, the one from which our Lesson Text is taken is written by David. David gives many reasons why he praises the Lord. According to verse 10 of our lesson text, people who truly know Him can praise Him because they know He has never forsaken them. If you are a true child of God, can you think of a time when God has forsaken you? David say that such an occurrence does not happen with God. God does not forsake His own.
The Purpose of Praise
Praise is the only way we can outwardly demonstrate our relationship with God. In our Devotional, praise is called a sacrifice. Paul tells us in Romans 12:1, “I BESEECH You therfore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Service can also be considered an offering to God.
Some Methods of PRAISE
Webster defines praise as, “commend the worth of, express admiration, to laud the glory of, as in song; gloryfy.” How do Christians praise God? We praise God in anything Godly that we say or do. We may praise Him silently or aloud. We may praise Him privately or publicly.
To praise God does not mean we are to constantly say, “Praise God.” There are many and varied ways to praise our Creator. Godly deeds are as important as Godly words. Psalm 98 gives examples of praise through song and music. We do not know the writer of this psalm. However, he uses a beautiful personification to illustrate how the other creations of God praise Him. Psalm 98:7-8 states, “Let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof, the world, and they that dwell ther-in. Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together.” Everything that was created by God has given or will give Him the praise He Deserves.
Col. 3:17 states..
[17] And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Praising God with Songs
Psalm 98:4-6 says, “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of psalm. With trumpets and sound of cornets make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.”AND Revelations 14:1-3 states, “And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.”
The word psalm means song. The book of Psalms is a book of a collection of songs. It is a book of praise. The psalms were written by various people. The use of songs is a special way of giving praise to God. David gave praise in his songs and with his harp. Asaph gave praise as he directed the choir of 288, accompanied by instruments, at the dedication of the temple. Harps and singing will continue to be used to praise or Lord.
CONCLUSION
Daniel gave praise through prayer and dedication. I find no record where Daniel sand. Abraham gave praise through his strong faith and many years of service to God. Paul and Silas praised God through song when imprisoned by the Philippian jailer.
We are told in Revelation 7:11-12, “And all the angels stood round the throne on their faces, and worshiped God, Saying, Amen: blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God forever and ever, Amen.”
God’s children will praise Him when Christ comes in the clouds and the time is ended. The saved will eternally praise God and the Father, God the son and God the Holy Spirit in heaven.
Food For Thought: “Praise is to the soul as a medicine to the body; both producing positive results.”-bkv
