A Life of Praise Devotional Lesson Guam Christian Church, June 2012

Theme Verse – Psalm 33:1 Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. The righteous (upright) are expected to praise God.

Alive to Praise God Ps 6:5 No one remembers you when he is dead. Who praises you from the grave ? Ps 88:10 Do you show your wonders to the dead? Do those who are dead rise up and praise you? Ps 119:175 Let me live that I may praise you, and may your laws sustain me.

The early church had the same attitude of worship and praise. Eph 5:19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord…

Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. …to teach and counsel each other NLT …to teach and instruct each other ESV

What is praise? Our English word “praise” comes from the Latin "pretium," (= price, value); “to set a great price on.”

What is praise? When you receive praise, you are valued. When we praise God, we recognize his value to us; we place great worth on him and his acts. Note: praise is different from thanks. Thanks is usually a response after an event or action. But praise can be given even without an event.

Pop-quiz (praise or thanks?) Esse, bro. Si yu’os ma’ase for letting me borrow your diving gear. We had fun. Hey Damian, that’s a great haircut. You look great, man! Glenn, we appreciate you guys for spending time with us. You even adjusted your schedule… [text] hi hannah. got it. ty. cu  Sis, you look blooming today! Patrick (PJ), I really appreciate the advice you gave. You are so wise!

Praise (and thanks) for God and his works God’s character and works are intertwined. So the psalmists sing praise to God. Praise to God stems from who he is and what he’s done.

Who should give praise? The psalmists give praise, but then they call everyone else to do the same. Ps 145:21 My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.

How should we give praise? I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. (Psalm 9:1-2) I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. (Psalm 69:30 NRSV) Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. (Psalm 106:1)

The psalmists gave praise that was liberal, exuberant, and heartfelt. Praise in the psalms was spontaneous and varied too: Individual and intimate, as with someone who gets up in the middle of the night to praise God (119:62), or in community (109:30). It can be done lying on your bed at night (149:5) or with dancing before Him (149:3). Some speak of bowing (138:2), others kneeling (95:6). Psalms 71, 81, 149 and 150 feature the use of instruments to praise God.

The edited layout of Psalms Some psalms reveal a sequence of lament- thanksgiving-praise. And the overall arrangement of the psalms is such that laments dominate the first part, but praise figure more and more in the end. This is a lot like the Christian life: We go through a variety of experiences, including many painful ones, but the big picture is that God is moving us from plea to praise!

When should we give praise? All the time! This is the heart of Psalms. Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws. (Psalm 119:164) God is always who He is, so any time is a right time to praise God.

When should we give praise? My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? (Psalm 22:1) But in the same psalm: I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you. (Psalm 22:22) I will praise you among all the people; I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship you (Psalm 22:25 NLT) They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn—for he has done it. (Psalm 22:31)

Psalm 57:5-7 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. They spread a net for my feet I was bowed down in distress. They dug a pit in my path but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.

Praise You In This Storm [lyrics] I was sure by now That You would have reached down And wiped our tears away, stepped in and saved the day But once again, I say, Amen… and it's still raining As the thunder rolls I barely hear Your whisper through the rain, "I'm with you“ And as Your mercy falls I raise my hands And praise the God who gives and takes away

And I'll praise You in this storm and I will lift my hands For You are who You are no matter where I am And every tear I've cried You hold in Your hand You never left my side and though my heart is torn I will praise You in this storm

So it’s possible to go through difficulties and still praise God. Just remember: God has not changed. God still knows what’s best. God cares even if no one does.

Practical Challenges Make a praise a regular part of your times with God (not just thanks). You can use the psalms to help you. Strive to be early for church and devo, so you can set your heart on singing. Sing whenever you can in your Quiet Times. Make your praise real and heartfelt.

Pakistan Churches of Christ

Conclusion God is a God who is worthy of praise. Each one of us is meant to live a life of praise. Let us give God what he deserves and let praise define our lives!

D-group Time What is one characteristic of God that you appreciate? Read Psalm 18. How does David describe God (descriptive praise)? Read Psalm 59. What troubles is the psalmist going through? Why does he praise God in the end?