Worthy to be Praised

 

Each morning before sitting down with my Bible, I take a few pages of lyrics from familiar songs of praise and walk around my studio singing them. My singing voice is more like a ‘loud noise’ but praising God in song puts my focus on Him. Recently I found several ‘scientifically proven’ benefits of music, in itself a good thing, but thinking about God and worshiping Him adds to those benefits.

Even if it didn’t, God is worthy of being PRAISED. Several verses give reasons why I should exalt Him. Here are a few of them:

2 Samuel 22:1–4. “And David spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said, ‘The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.’” (Also Psalm 18.)

The Lord takes care of me when I am in danger, both physical and spiritual. He saves His people from our enemies. For David, it was from death at the hands of Saul’s constant efforts to kill him and from others who wanted to do the same. For me, it is the Liar who often tries to throw me off track with his accusations and schemes, and with temptation to sin against God. Jesus truly is my Savior!

1 Chronicles 16:23–27. “Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place.” (Also Psalm 96)

Another danger is the lure of worshiping or giving my devotion to someone or something else. Idolatry can be carved statues, but it can also be a host of other things, none of which have the wonderful creative power of God nor His majesty and strength. Nothing else can give me that joy that He gives. His is worthy of all praise.

Psalm 48:1–3. “Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God! His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King. Within her citadels God has made himself known as a fortress.”

He is my hiding place, typified in His fortified and beautiful city where His people felt safe and offered their praise freely. God gives me protection and a sense of never-ending love.

Psalm 113:3. “From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!”

This means ‘all the time’ — the Lord is worthy of praise, even on those days when I think He has turned His back or I feel He has forgotten me. He is faithful from morning to evening and all night too.

Daniel 4:34. “At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation.”

This king’s experiences convinced him of the worth of God and that His rule is forever, not like the temporary reign of a mere earthly king. Nebuchadnezzar knew that God was totally praiseworthy.

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. It is by looking at Jesus that I see the wonder of God. He sent His sinless Son to die for my sins. Surely, He is worthy of praise. The centurion who witnessed the crucifixion realized it too when he, “saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, ‘Certainly this man was innocent!’” (Luke 23:47).

Keeping my eyes on earthly matters can discourage me unless I see the hand of God in them. Keeping my eyes on Jesus is a far better choice. In Him I see those things that make God worthy of praise, and since “the Lord inhabits the praises of His people,” that focus brings with it a deeper sense of His presence — and even more reason to praise and worship Him.