We are continuing with our theme of Building on the Foundations. Over three messages we are going to be be considering the importance that praise, worship and thanksgiving plays in our lives.
“Praise is for the nature of God, worship is for the presence of God and thanksgiving is for the provision of God,” (Bill Johnson, paraphrased).
I can recall being told that the reasons we sing faster songs in the beginning of a service is because they are praise songs. Then we move into worship. Then, as Pentecostals, we would possibly sing in tongues, the pinnacle of worship. It seems we would set our songs around different stages. We did that because there was some truth in it.
The problem is we never really know what song God is going to anoint or inhabit more than others. I can recall being in a church service to discover a simple little song about being a blessing to the nation took off we singing this refrain for nearly an hour!
Some today will complain about praise and worship times because they go on too long. Others complain because they are too short! If you could look inside me this morning several things would be at more core. One is praise and worship. I love it. It’s not about my favourite songs or how long or short it is. It is about the heart. If we are struggling with worship we are going to struggle a bit with heaven and eternity - it’s reported renowned for the worship of Jesus!
There are approximately 58 words in the Old Testament Hebrew for praise, worship and thanksgiving. Ten are most commonly used. (http://www.justworship.com/hebrewpraisewords.php).
Today we are going to look at praise. Some quick and brief thoughts about praise.
Praise is Rising:
Luke 19: 37-40: 37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 38 ‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ‘Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’ 39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples!’ 40 ‘I tell you,’ he replied, ‘if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.’
If the people of God do not resound in praise then creation, even the apparently inanimate (rocks), will burst forth in praise!
Definition: when we give God praise who His nature, for who He is, not for what He has done.
Praise is the Invitation for the Presence of God.
We should not need stirring up to praise God. When we think about Him we should be moved to praise Him, no matter what else is going on in our lives.
The problem is we think that things that are exuberant in nature are not of our culture or are emotionalism. It may be true that there are cultures that are better at praise than we are. That’s not an excuse for not engaging with it.
I love praise. I love the style of praise. I love the exuberance of praise. We do not aim to stir up emotionalism, but praise (worship and thanksgiving too), involve emotions. This might be a surprise to many as some have taken the option to be non-emotional in praise.
Praise is so important for it invites the presence of God when He does not feel present.
Psalm 22:3: Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises.
Psalm 22:3: But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
When we praise we are creating the invitation for God to reveal His presence in a special way.
Quote: The climax of God’s happiness is the delight He takes in the echoes of His excellence in the praises of His people. [John Piper].
Praise is the frame in which the picture of worship hangs.
Praise Gets Your Groove On!
(http://www.justworship.com/hebrewpraisewords.php: the definitions below are taken from this useful website).
Let’s look at the word picture created in the Bible about praise.
Hallal: to praise, to make a show or rave about, to glory in or boast upon, to be clamorously foolish about you adoration of God
Psalm 22:23 You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify him, and fear him, all you offspring of Israel!
Psalm 44:8 In God we boast all day long, and praise your name forever. Selah
Psalm 63:5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise you with joyful lips.
Clamorously foolish in the praise of God! That means more than a polite clap as though we are at a cricket match. It is the welling up of joy at who He is, that if we do not sing His praises we would burst!
Praise is energetic.
Guwl: to spin around, under the influence of any violent emotion
Psalm 32:11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
Psalm 35:9 And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; It shall rejoice in his salvation.
Psalm 118:24 This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.
To spin around under the influence of violent emotions. “This is the Day,” was the first ever praise song I sang as a new Christian. There was defiantly no spinning around, yet that is the meaning of “rejoice,” in Psalm 118.
There have been songs about turning and twirling, but that does not seem to happen either.
Why? Because we think that all thing being done in order (1 Corinthians 14:40) means soberly. Pauls is talking about people having respect for one another when they are sharing in the gifts of the Spirit, testimonies and Scriptures; not talking over each other. We have taken this to mean being reserved in the UK culture.
Praise is not reserved. It is messy, loud, exuberant, dynamic!
Praise is emotional.
Ranan: to creak, to emit a loud sound, to shout aloud for joy.
Psalm 7:17 I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.
Psalm 33:1 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful.
Psalm 98:4 Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.
How many times do I hear in church, “the music is too loud!” Praise is loud! Not just loudness of instruments, loudness of our voices! we should be loud!
Psalm 98: 4 commands us to shout joyfully! What does that look like? Loud! It is not apologetic nor somber. It’s loud!
Praise is loud!
Tehillah: to sing hallal, a new song, a hymn of spontaneous praise glorifying God in song
Psalm 34:1 I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Psalm 40:3 He has put a new song in my mouth -- praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord.
Psalm 149:1 Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, and his praise in the assembly of saints.
Praise is spontaneous! There are times when I will just be going about my business, driving the car, and just burst out in tongues and praise. Normally this makes Barbie jump!
Praise is spontaneous!
Zamar: to touch the strings or parts of a musical instrument i.e. play upon it, to make music accompanied by the voice, to celebrate in song and music, give praise, sing forth praises, psalms!
Psalm 66:2 Sing out the honour of his name; Make his praise glorious.
Psalm 71:22 Also with the lute I will praise you -- and your faithfulness, O my God! To you I will sing with the harp, O Holy One of Israel.
Psalm 144:9 I will sing a new song to you, O God; On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to you...
Praise, more than any other form of vocal worship or thanksgiving, involves musical accompaniment.
Music again brings the presence of God. Musicians in churches are facilitators of your praise. They guide us into a place of worship.
Musicians can sometimes be criticised for being performers in church. This element of our sung worship is partly dependant upon the skill and performance of musicians. They need to take us to a place that transcends performance: worship.
Praise has music!
Quote: I don’t care where it is, what part of the world it’s in, if we have a praise(sic) church we’ll have successful christianity. [Dwight L. Moody].
Wrapping this up:
Can we give some praise this morning? Can we celebrate the goodness of God’s character? Praise is about who he is, not what He has done!
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