A CALL TO PRAISE

 Psalm 145:1-2

I will exalt you, my God the King;

I will praise your name for ever and ever.

Every day I will praise you

and extol your name for ever and ever.

                Have you ever wondered about the call to praise the Lord? Over 80 times in Psalms alone we are instructed, in one way or another, to praise the Lord. For those of us that grew up in church, this just seems normal, but for someone looking in from the outside, it seems a little strange.

                Recently in my devotions I read an essay by C.S. Lewis where he addressed the issue of praising God. When he first became a Christian, he struggled with the call to praise God.

                “When I first began to draw near to belief in God and even for some time after it had been given to me, I found a stumbling block in the demand so clamorously made by all religious people that we should “praise” God; still more in the suggestion that God Himself demanded it. We all despise the man who demands continued assurance of his own virtue, intelligence, or delightfulness; we despise still more the crowd of people around every dictator, every millionaire, every celebrity, who gratify that demand. Thus a picture, at once ludicrous and horrible, both of God and of His worshippers, threatened to appear in my mind.” (C.S. Lewis)

                Lewis raises the question for all of us, what is the point of praising God? Does God need an ego boost from us to feel good about Himself? Obviously, that is not the case. So why does the Psalms, and other parts of scripture, constantly call us to praise the Lord?

                As Lewis discovered, praise is the natural response to those things that we love, cherish, value, admire, or wonder at. Without really recognizing it, we all engage in praise on a regular basis. Wasn’t that a delightful meal? Look at that sunset! It is amazing! Isn’t she beautiful? That was a moving piece of music.

                I believe that the Bible calls us to praise God for our benefit, not His. When we praise something, it completes and enhances the experience. Many years ago, I was driving at night in northern Minnesota when suddenly the sky erupted with the Northern Lights. It was an amazing sight. I wanted to express my delight in seeing them, but I was all alone in the car. Somehow the experience was not complete. When we intentionally praise the Lord, we are, in a sense, completing the experience of being in His presence. By expressing our praise, we are acknowledging our awe and wonder at God’s presence.

                Praise also gives value to something. When we praise a work of art or a good meal, we are saying that we value it. When we praise the Lord, we are expressing just how much we value Him. The more exuberant our praise, the more value we are placing on our relationship with Him. By praising the Lord, we are recognizing just how great God really is. We do not create the value; we recognize it and affirm it.

                A man was walking through a famous art gallery, looking at the paintings. After he had observed the artwork for a short time, he commented to an attendant that he didn’t see much in those old paintings. The attendant responded; it is not the art that is in question. In other words, the artworks had already proved their worth. The man did not have the eyes to see their value. Those who cannot praise the Lord do not have the eyes to see just how amazing He is.

                Praise also awakens our senses. Many people go through life with their eyes closed to all of the amazing things all around them. Once a person takes the time to stop and really look, they begin to see the beauty and awe that has been there all along. When we foster the habit of giving praise to God, we expand our own awareness and understanding of His greatness. Praise allows us to get beyond the superficial and begin to see and enjoy the complex nature of God.

                God doesn’t need our praise, but we need to praise God. Intentional praise awakens our senses and allows us to experience God in new and deeper ways. It calls us to stand in awe of His amazing power, glory, love, grace, and mercy. When we open our eyes and really look toward God, we cannot help but respond in praise.

Psalm 145:3

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;

his greatness no one can fathom.