A LIFE OF PRAISE

 A LIFE OF PRAISE

 

ME

 

I've lost some good friends along life's way; some loved ones departed in Heaven to stay. 
But thank God I didn't lose everything. 

 

I've lost faith in people who said they cared; in the time of my crisis, they were never there. 
But in my disappointment, in my season of pain; one thing never wavered, one thing never changed. 

 

I never lost my hope. 
I never lost my joy. 
I never lost my faith. 
But most of all, 
I never lost my praise. 

 

I've let some blessings slip away; and I lost my focus and went astray. But thank God I didn't lose everything. 

 

I lost possessions that were so dear; and I've lost some battles by walking in fear. 
But in the midst of my struggles, in my season of pain; one thing never wavered; one thing never changed. 

 

I never lost my hope. 
I never lost my joy. 
I never lost my faith. 
But most of all, 
I never lost my praise.

 

(“I Never Lost My Praise” by Kurt Carr and the Brooklyn Tabernacle)

 

WE

 

How can we maintain a life of praise that allows us to overcome the enemy and live in joy and peace?

 

GOD Let’s listen to King David. 

 

Psalm 103:1–5 (NLT)

1 Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. 

2 Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. 

3 He forgives all my sins 

and heals all my diseases. 

4 He redeems me from death 

and crowns me with love and tender mercies. 

5 He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

 

Praise is a lifestyle. 

 

How do I live a life of praise? Let’s take this psalm apart and look for some answers. 

 

Psalms 103:1 (NLT) Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. 

 

1.    With all that I am. 

 

1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NLT) Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.

 

a.    Spirit

                                              i.     Conscience

                                            ii.     Communion

                                          iii.     Intuition

b.    Soul

                                              i.     Mind

                                            ii.     Will

                                          iii.     Emotions

c.    Body

                                              i.     Romans 12:1-2

 

2.    With all of my heart. 

 

Heart is the essence of life, like the breath of life; it speaks of the totality of life. We praise from the totality of our life. 

 

Hebrew words for praise…

 

Hallelujah: rave about God. 

 

Yadah: worship with lifted hands. 

 

Barak: bless. 

 

Tehillah: sing or laud. 

 

Zamar: to pluck an instrument. 

 

Todah: shout or address with a loud voice; includes an attitude of gratitude for God’s promised deliverance even while we are still in need.

 

Shabach: shout with a loud voice. 

 

Greek words for praise…

 

Ainos: praise and glorify. 

 

Doxazo: glorify. 

 

Eulogia: bless (eulogy). 

 

Humneo: singing. 

 

Megaluno: magnify. 

 

Psallo: sing in spiritual ecstasy.

 

Hallelujah: rave about God. 

 

There are many more words, but you can see that praise encompasses every fiber of our being! Praise can be vocal, like speaking, singing, or shouting. It can be audible, like playing instruments or clapping. It can be  demonstrable, like lifting hands or bowing low before the Lord. 

 

I must mention here that the Greek word used most for worship is proskuneo, to bow and kiss the hand. To live a life of praise and worship, we bow before the Lord and kiss His hand in love and honor.

 

We bow low, we bow low
Faces down to the ground 
In Your presence Lord
With our tears we wash Your feet
We bow low, we bow low 
Falling on our knees
We bow low, we bow low
To the King of Kings

 

(“We Bow Low” by Tim Sheppard and Gateway Worship)

 

Psalms 103:2 (NLT) Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.

 

3.    Remembering the good things He does for us. 

 

Psalms 103:3-5 (NLT) He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

 

Let’s list these benefits and we will be praising Him all day and all night!

 

a.    He forgives all my sins!

b.    He heals all my diseases!

c.    He redeems me from death!

d.    He crowns me with love and mercy!

e.    He fills my life with good things!

f.     He renews my youth like the eagle!

 

Are y’all happy yet? Do y’all feel like praising yet? Do y’all feel like worshipping yet? Let’s do it!

 

WORSHIP AND MINISTRY