BEING BLESSED IN PRAISING THE LORD
The Bible says: “Bless the Lord, and forget not all of his benefits” (Psalm 103:2). And “Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:18-20).
LEARNING FROM PRAISERS OF OLD
KING DAVID LED THE PEOPLE OF GOD IN PRAISING, thanking and glorifying the Lord in psalms for his blessings. And the Spirit led them in rejoicing.
David is said to have written at least half of the 150 Psalms of praises, worship and thanksgiving to the Lord. He wrote one such song about the time he led the people of Israel in taking the ark of God to the City of David. They entered the City with shouting, sounding of ram’s horns, trumpets, cymbals and music of harps and lyres, as they sang. (1 Chronicles 15:27-28). In Psalm 105 David wrote:
Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice… (1 Chronicles 16).
LEARNING FROM PRAISERS OF THE LORD WHEN HE WAS ON EARTH
A CROWD PRAISED JESUS, when he entered Jerusalem riding a donkey. The people were shouting and rejoicing as they sang:
Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matthew 21:9).
THE DISCIPLES OF JESUS SANG A HYMN WITH THE LORD:
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
27Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28This is my blood of the b covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
30When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives (Matthew 26:26-30).
WE ARE BLESSED TO PRAISE THE LORD BY MANY OR ONE
The Word of God encourages his people: “be filled with the Holy Spirit, 19 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. 20 And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:18-20).
“And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (Hebrew 10:25).
Paul and Silas are examples of being blessed in praising the lord together. They were imprisoned for preaching the gospel; but while they were in prison, they “prayed and sang praises to God.” And the Lord opened the doors of the prison. (Acts 16:2-25-26).
My grandmother was blessed in praising the Lord. I first heard singing and praising the Lord from my grandmother. When I was a child I heard her singing and praising him as she worked in the house and in hers gardens to help raise her grandchildren. I could hear her praying and praising the Lord as I lay in bed at night.
I was blessed in learning to praising the lord. I have found myself praising the Lord with praises I learned from my grandmother and church-school at an early age. I have learned to praise the Lord in times of prosperity and adversity.
The Lord has taught and inspired me to use songs, scriptures and psalms of praises to encourage and uplift people who are sick and shuts-in. And to encourage others who apparently need to be told or reminded that God loves them enough to give his Son Jesus Christ to die for them.
The Bible tells us: The Lord inhabits the praises of his people–He is “enthroned” in their praises (Psalm 22:3). He blesses his people to “be filled with his Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18-20). His Holy Spirit, and our helper, advises us: “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” *Matthew 6:33).
And the Lord has promised, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).
