The Power of Praise
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.”
Psalm 63:3–6
David penned this Holy Spirit-inspired song of praise, not at a time of success, ease, and blessing, but at a time when he was running for his life. Yet even while living in the wilderness and hiding from Saul, David recognized that God was faithful to him. So many times we equate God’s goodness with our comfort, but He is always good, no matter our circumstances. Every good thing we receive comes from His hand, and in every trial, He remains faithful to us.
I read about an older Christian singer who had been diagnosed with cancer of the tongue. When he was told that it would require surgery, he was also informed that following the surgery, he would no longer be able to sing. In the operating room he told the doctor, “I’ve had many good times singing the praises of God. Now you tell me I can never sing again. I have one song that will be my last.” He began to sign the old hymn by Isaac Watts:
I’ll praise my Maker while I’ve breath,
And when my voice is lost in death,
Praise shall employ my nobler power;
My days of praise shall ne’er be past,
While life, and thought, and being last,
Or immortality endures.
The praise we offer to God, especially in hard times, guards us from despair and defeat. When we remember all that God has done for us in the past, we are encouraged to seek His help for the present and the future. Our praise is sweet to the ears of God.
Psalm 63:3–6
David penned this Holy Spirit-inspired song of praise, not at a time of success, ease, and blessing, but at a time when he was running for his life. Yet even while living in the wilderness and hiding from Saul, David recognized that God was faithful to him. So many times we equate God’s goodness with our comfort, but He is always good, no matter our circumstances. Every good thing we receive comes from His hand, and in every trial, He remains faithful to us.
I read about an older Christian singer who had been diagnosed with cancer of the tongue. When he was told that it would require surgery, he was also informed that following the surgery, he would no longer be able to sing. In the operating room he told the doctor, “I’ve had many good times singing the praises of God. Now you tell me I can never sing again. I have one song that will be my last.” He began to sign the old hymn by Isaac Watts:
I’ll praise my Maker while I’ve breath,
And when my voice is lost in death,
Praise shall employ my nobler power;
My days of praise shall ne’er be past,
While life, and thought, and being last,
Or immortality endures.
The praise we offer to God, especially in hard times, guards us from despair and defeat. When we remember all that God has done for us in the past, we are encouraged to seek His help for the present and the future. Our praise is sweet to the ears of God.
Today’s Growth Principle:
When we praise God in difficult times, our faith is strengthened and our hope renewed.
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