PROPER PRAISE

Psalm 34:1-10 (Scripture Reading)

Hebrews 13:15 AV

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

We need to have a sense of what it is to praise and its importance to our lives and to our relationship with God.

I love the Psalm that Brother Gibbs read for us as well as many others, because it encourages us of the need of Praise.

As the verse states:

Psalm 34:10 AV

The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.

Praise is a very important part of our Christian lives. Either it is or it ought to be. We might be very praiseful people already, if we are then we need to realize that it is a great blessing to our lives and that we ought to endeavour to do more of it.

If we do not praise the Lord much, then we ought to seek to improve our lives in that area so that we can be more of what God wants us to be.

There are many areas of our lives that we offer praise.

Parents praise their children when they do something well.Coaches praise their teams when they win the big game or an individual player makes a good play. Bosses praise their employee’s for a job well done. We often offer praise to dignitaries. It is making them feel welcome. When a higher ranking official comes to visit or make a speech, kind words will be given prior to his speaking. Even in church we try to say something nice when a visiting preacher is with us. The President speaks at a function, the one who introduces him always offers kind words on his behalf.

Praise is a common part of our lives.

If you want to be kind to someone to promote them, then we offer praise on their behalf. If a man wants to lift up the value of his wife before others he will praise her for all she does for him. How she takes care of the house and the children without complaint, how she works tirelessly on behalf of her family, how beautiful she is.

If we want to make a connection with someone new and open up dialogue, we will often offer praise to them. For instance when I go visiting, I always try to say something nice about them, or about their house.

Someone once said that it is easy to keep from becoming a bore, just praise the person to whom you are talking.

With that said, we do not need to believe all of the praise we often get. We need to stay humble especially we Christians.

Someone also said that the more praise a man is willing to take, the less he deserves it.

Praise is something that is found throughout the Bible.

The word praise or praising can be found in the Bible 252 times.

The word means to be clear to shine; to make a show, to boast; to celebrate; make boast (self), celebrate, commend, glory, (sing, be worthy of) praise,

The word glorify is found 22 times in the Word of God. Glorify means to render (or esteem) glorious (in a wide application):--(make) glorify(-ious), full of (have) glory, honour, magnify.

What I want to focus on this morning is the importance of praise in our lives.

Let me first start out by saying:

I. Praise is something that we need to continually practice in our lives

Psalm 34:1 AV

I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Let us not underestimate the value and importance of praise. Often, much more is done through praise than pointing out problems.

Relationships can be started and developed much more through praise than they can through criticism.

You have heard the saying “Say something good about someone or don’t say anything at all.” That would be a great place to start.

There is not room for gossip when we are praising.

There is no room for negativity or critical spirits when we are praising someone.

There is not much room for selfishness and self-centeredness when we are seeking to praise others and keep the focus on them.

TEXT:

Heb 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name

II. The Value of Praise

A. Praise Gathers Attention

Whether with a right or wrong motive, people use praise to get the attention of another. It will get them noticed - it will cause one to look upon them and fondness to some degree.

If someone comes up to you and tells you how great you are and how wonderful you are.

B. Praise Magnifies its object

Psalm 34:3 AV

O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.

When we praise the name of the Lord, we increase His kingdom, the scope of his kingdom enlarges.

Psalm 138:4 AV

All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth.

More people know of his saving Grace, because you praised his name. You made it more know than before.

C. Praise gives the Holy Spirit opportunity to work

Ephesians 1:13 AV

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

If you are out somewhere you can lift up the name of the Lord and praise him for what he has done for you.

Other people can be around and they will here and consider what you have said, whether you know it or not. It gives the Holy Spirit an opportunity do a work in their hearts

When you say things like “Praise the Lord.” “Thanks be to God.” “God bless you or the Lord bless you.” you are giving the Holy Spirit a chance to work in people’s lives.

This can result in their salvation, their being born again.

It can also help a backslidden person, a person that is not serving God any longer though they are saved, another reminder of his responsibility before God.

III. Praise Belongs to the Lord

The first thing the Psalmist said in Psalm 34:1

Psalm 34:1 AV

I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Notice v.2

Psalm 34:2 AV

My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.

It is something we ought to do together:

Psalm 34:3 AV

O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.

There are endless reasons why Praise Belongs to the Lord

A. He created us

John 1:1–3 AV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

B. He has paid our debt of sin

1 John 2:2 AV

And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

C. He is our sustainer

2 Corinthians 3:5 AV

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

D. He is our reason to go on

Matthew 28:20 AV

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

E. He is our comforter

John 14:26 AV

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

F. He is the one that makes a new person

2 Corinthians 5:17 AV

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

G. He has given us a home in heaven

John 14:1-6

h. He will someday, wipe away all tears from our eyes. Re 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

We could go on and on, He is reason enough to praise.

III. Praising God encourages the brethren

Praise was one of the ingredients that made the first church wonderful. Acts 2:42-47

The things that God is doing in our lives should be shared, so that a Brother or Sister can be encouraged thereby.

Hebrews 10:25 AV

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Church is not just good for coming and learning from the Word of God. But is a place where we can come unmolested from the world to Praise God as much as we want and encourage other servants of God to do the same by our actions.

It is not by a complaining spirit or a unsatisfied spirit, but a spirit of thanksgiving that we encourage each other.

I’ve told you many times about sister Thelma, the lady in my church in Puerto Rico who was very poor, she was from Jamaica and was living in Puerto Rico illegally, her daughter had died; her house was often flooded and was literally crumbling away. She had health problems and she had no income, but yet, she could praise the Lord sincerely and fervently and what an encouragement it was to me as a young pastor.

Think of what a church that is full of people who praise the Lord can do for the others in the church, who are new or are discouraged. Praise the Lord with us, realize the value of praise.

A great problem when it comes to praising God is explained in v.8.

O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Psalm 34:8 AV

O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.