Psalm 135:19-21 cont

Psalm 135:19-21 cont

Praise from Zion

It pleases the Lord so much when we praise Him in our churches. Please do not stand with hands in pockets, staring at words on a page, with lips moving but little sound emerging. Praise is exactly what we think it is, loud and exuberant, a sacrifice of self to God in company often with others and during which we think not of those around us but only of Him. All who fear the Lord are exhorted to praise in these verses, there is no one who is excused, the Temple of God is for all who come to praise Him. If we don’t see the point of praise, then we have a very inhibited view of our God and maybe need to re-evaluate our relationship with Him. Praise Him today. Praise Him privately and praise Him publicly too. Praise Him quietly and praise Him loudly.  Let’s just “Praise the Lord!” 

Notice, finally, that the call to praise was not in Zion but from Zion. In other words, the sound of praise in God’s Holy City was to reverberate around the world. It was sent to the ends of the earth. Maybe we need to grasp the fact that whilst singing in Sports Stadiums or Music Festivals etc can be joyful, the sound goes nowhere. But when God’s people praise Him, when voices are lifted to Him the sound soars way beyond the venue, up through the heavens to the throne of God. As this happens, the soundwaves are expanded and, like ripples in a pond, they spread throughout the earth and impact God’s creation in ways we can never measure or understand. And as He is exalted, the influence of the Satan is battered. This is true praise and next time we meet corporately with others to sing before the Lord let’s just bear in mind the influence that our praise will have. Hallelujah!

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