Pursuit in Praise
The Pursuit • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Review last week: The Pursuit of His Presence (worship)
Posture is used often, but worship is not posture alone, rather it is a life of service that is represented in the posture. Praise on the other hand is described using several different words in the original language, each with its own nuance and expression of praise
While worship is a lifestyle of surrendered service and posture before God, praise is the verbal and/or visible expression of that pursuit—often loud, joyful, and demonstrative.
Praise proclaims what worship embodies.
I want to say a few things about Praise before we jump into the study of praise together:
1. Praise is Not Worship, but Flows From It
1. Praise is Not Worship, but Flows From It
Worship is described in Rom. 12:1
1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
Whereas Hebrews says of praise:
15 Through Him [Jesus] then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.
Sacrifice (worship) results in praise (expression).
Praise flows from the heart of worship.
2. Praise is a command, not a suggestion
2. Praise is a command, not a suggestion
6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord!
4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving
And His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
1 Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our God;
For it is pleasant and praise is becoming.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
Praise isn’t a feeling, it is a result of viewing God rightly..
3. Praise Declares Who God Is and What He Has Done
3. Praise Declares Who God Is and What He Has Done
46 And Mary said:
“My soul exalts the Lord,
47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
48 “For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave;
For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.
49 “For the Mighty One has done great things for me;
And holy is His name.
4. Biblical praise is diverse in expression.
4. Biblical praise is diverse in expression.
7 Hebrew Words & 4 Greek Words to describe praise
Halal
Halal
Meaning: To boast, rave, or celebrate wildly
Key Verse: Psalm 149:3
3 Let them praise His name with dancing;
Let them sing praises to Him with timbrel and lyre.
Context: This verse calls the people to praise (halal) with dancing and music—a vibrant, physical, celebratory expression of joy before the Lord. It directly illustrates the meaning of halal. Additionally, David’s dancing in 2 Samuel 6:14–22 embodies this spirit of praise, even though the word halal is not used there.
Spiritual Insight: Halal reflects undignified, wholehearted praise that often ushers in or responds to the manifest presence of God. It breaks pride and invites revival. It is especially fitting in moments of breakthrough and joy.
Yadah
Yadah
Meaning: To extend the hands (surrender, thanks)
Key Verse: 2 Chronicles 20:21
21 When he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the Lord and those who praised Him in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, “Give thanks to the Lord, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.”
Context: Jehoshaphat appointed singers to go before the army, giving thanks with uplifted hands before the battle. Their praise went ahead of the breakthrough.
Spiritual Insight: Yadah is vulnerable, surrendered praise often offered after deliverance—or in bold trust that deliverance is coming.
Barak
Barak
Meaning: To bless or kneel in reverent humility
Key Verse: Psalm 95:6
6 Come, let us worship and bow down,
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
Context: A corporate call to bow and kneel before the Lord in awe. This is a quiet, submissive form of worship.
Spiritual Insight: Barak reflects reverence. It’s still, surrendered worship that honors God's holiness and supremacy.
Zamar
Zamar
Meaning: To praise with instruments, often stringed
Key Verse: Psalm 33:2–3
2 Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre;
Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings.
3 Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy.
Context: A call to skillful musical praise with joy and creativity, engaging harp, lyre, and voices.
Spiritual Insight: Zamar highlights the role of music as a vehicle for praise—intentional, artistic, and joy-filled worship.
Tehillah
Tehillah
Meaning: Spontaneous or prophetic song of praise
Key Verse: Isaiah 42:10
10 Sing to the Lord a new song,
Sing His praise from the end of the earth!
You who go down to the sea, and all that is in it.
You islands, and those who dwell on them.
Context: This verse calls for a 'new song' to be sung to the Lord, a fresh and Spirit-led expression of praise (tehillah) from the ends of the earth. It aligns closely with the essence of prophetic, spontaneous worship.
This is the type of praise found in Psalm 22:3
3 Yet You are holy,
O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.
This type of worship creates a dwelling place for His presence.
Spiritual Insight: Tehillah reflects spontaneous, Spirit-led praise that flows from deep within. It creates an atmosphere where God's presence dwells and invites breakthrough. It is often birthed in real-time worship moments rather than rehearsed settings.
Shabach
Shabach
Meaning: To shout in triumph or victory
Key Verse: Joshua 6:20
20 So the people shouted, and priests blew the trumpets; and when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight ahead, and they took the city.
Context: At God’s command, Israel shouted and the walls of Jericho fell. Their unified shout preceded the victory.
Spiritual Insight: Shabach is militant praise—bold, public, and triumphant. It proclaims trust in God before the battle is won.
Towdah
Towdah
Meaning: Thanksgiving offered in faith before the answer
Key Verse: Jonah 2:9
9 But I will sacrifice to You
With the voice of thanksgiving.
That which I have vowed I will pay.
Salvation is from the Lord.”
Context: From the belly of the fish, Jonah declared a thank offering to God before being delivered.
Spiritual Insight: Towdah is prophetic praise—a sacrifice of trust. It honors God’s faithfulness even before fulfillment.
Aineo (αἰνέω)
Aineo (αἰνέω)
Meaning: To praise, extol verbally
Key Verse: Luke 19:37–40
37 As soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen,
38 shouting:
“Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord;
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.”
40 But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!”
Context: As Jesus approached Jerusalem, the whole crowd of disciples began to praise (aineo) God joyfully in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen. When asked to silence them, Jesus responded that even the rocks would cry out.
Spiritual Insight: This word captures joyful, vocal praise in response to God’s mighty works. It reflects praise that cannot be silenced.
Epainos (ἔπαινος)
Epainos (ἔπαινος)
Meaning: Praise or commendation for virtue
Key Verse: Philippians 1:11
11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Context: Paul prays that believers would be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the praise (epainos) of God’s glory.
Spiritual Insight: Epainos is about living a life that gives God praise through virtue. It shifts praise from lips alone to the lifestyle.
Doxazo (δοξάζω)
Doxazo (δοξάζω)
Meaning: To glorify or magnify with honor
Key Verse: John 11:4
4 But when Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.”
Context: When Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, He said it would not end in death but was for God's glory, that the Son of God might be glorified (doxazo) through it.
Spiritual Insight: Doxazo reflects moments when God’s nature is revealed and magnified—through miracles, obedience, or faith.
Homologeo (ὁμολογέω)
Homologeo (ὁμολογέω)
Meaning: To confess or openly declare
Key Verse: Hebrews 13:15
15 Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.
Context: Through Jesus, we are to continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God—the fruit of lips that openly profess (homologeo) His name.
Spiritual Insight: Homologeo is verbal praise as a confession of faith—declaring who God is in alignment with truth and covenant loyalty.
I just want you to be prepared, when we go into these pourover nights, and as we continue to grow spiritually, we will be seeing each of these expressions of praise….
Your own preference is of secondary importance to the glory of God…
These are the biblical patterns of praise, described through the scriptures…
If we are to pursue Him rightly, we need various expressions of praise in various circumstances…
Call Worship Team
If we used all the vocabulary we have, all the expression we can muster, all the various ways to thank Him and bring Him honor, it still wouldn’t do justice to how GREAT HE IS…
2 Chronicles 20:21-22 – Jehoshaphat sends singers ahead of the army.
Acts 16:25-26 – Paul and Silas praise in prison, chains break.
Pursuit in praise brings breakthrough—when we praise, heaven moves.
But we don’t praise for the benefit, we praise for His Glory…
The breakthrough comes, the battle is won, not because not because praise is a magic formula, but because when we praise, we create room for God’s presence in our situation…
When we praise, we are declaring His rule and reign in the situation…
When we praise, we are prioritizing His glory over our comfort…
When we praise, we declare the victory before it arrives…
When we praise,
—we declare His rule and reign in the middle of the storm.
—we speak prophetically before the evidence is seen.
—we elevate His name above our name, His power above our problem.
—we align our hearts with heaven’s perspective.
—we testify to the world and remind our own soul: He is worthy.
—we disarm fear, silence shame, and give God the final word.
—we don’t escape the fire—we invite the Fourth Man into it.
—we aren’t ignoring reality—we’re enthroning the One who transcends it.
—we join the song of heaven and introduce it on the earth.
—walls come tumbling down.
—we trust His character over our circumstances
So don’t hold back.
Praise Him because He is good.
Praise Him until it breaks.
Praise Him even if it doesn’t.
Even if the circumstance doesn’t change, praise will change our perspecive on it…
The Pursuit of His presence takes a path of praise, because Ps. 100:4
4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving
And His courts with praise.
Praise is integral to the pursuit of His presence…
Praise will be the result of our pursuit of Him through a life and posture of worship…
Can we praise together?
