Four Blessings of the Praise-Filled Life

Read Psalm 150:1-6.

There’s nothing wrong with bringing our petitions to God. But if we don’t begin our prayer time in worship and adoration of the Lord, we will miss out on the great power that comes from time spent in His presence.

Over the years, God has revealed to me four blessings of the praise-filled life—four effects of worshiping the Lord. First, praise reveals our true spiritual condition. In Matthew 12:34, the Lord Jesus Christ said, “[T]he mouth speaks what the heart is full of,” by which He meant our words express what we believe deep down. So when you spend time in praise of God and His salvation, you are expressing your trust in the Gospel—in the Truth that you belong to God.

Second, praise reinforces our personal destiny. If you focus on your earthly troubles 24/7, you’ll lose sight of your royal position as a co-heir with Christ. But if you form a daily habit of blessing the Lord first thing in the morning, praising Him for who He is and what He has done, you’ll be lifted from your present problems to His glory, to the heavenly realm, to your eternal destiny.

Third, praise reestablishes God’s reign in our hearts. God is uniquely present when His people praise Him. Psalm 22:3 reveals He is “enthroned on the praises of Israel” (ESV), which means God’s presence and rule are tied to our praise. When we begin our day praising His name, character, and attributes, we are inviting Him to reign and rule in our lives. We are proclaiming, “You are my sovereign authority. You are my King.”

Finally, praise reinforces our relationship with the Lord. As a self-centered people, we are quick to fall in love with ourselves—our ideas, skills, talents. But when we praise God and the awesomeness of His grace, we are reminded of our sinfulness and need. Far from leaving us in the dumps, the more realistic we are about our inadequacies and failures, the more deeply we can comprehend and rejoice in the Lord’s graciousness toward us—His strength and unchanging love. And the more we dwell on and delight in our matchless God, the more effective we will be for His Kingdom.

Prayer: Lord, thank You for the power of praise to draw me closer to You, my Savior and Lord. You alone are worthy of all my worship. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.