It’s in my praise. It’s in my praise. It’s in my praise. It’s in my praise.
That’s the entirety of it. It’s in my praise. I recently attended a conference at a church that really made me think about a lot of things. The main thing the conference made me think about was it. What is in my praise? The praise team at the conference sang that simple song. It’s in my praise. That was the only line in the song. No more. No less. The words were sung to a catchy Caribbean type of melody that kind of reminded me of the song Don’t Worry Be Happy which is what the song seemed to make everyone who sang it be. They were genuinely happy. It showed. They smiled, they moved, they danced, they clapped, they raised their hands towards heaven. This week-long after the conference is over that line, that tune has stuck with me.
I know I went for a specific reason. Every message, every lesson at the conference was good, but like I said IT is what really stuck with me. I have asked myself what is in my praise. What is supposed to be in my praise?
I usually start every day off with simple praise to God. I say, “Jesus I love you. I praise you and I worship you and. I thank you for this day.” When I praise God at a worship service at church I usually repeat those same words quietly to Him. Is it enough for me to say I praise you? Should there be more words, more fanfare, more action? What happens when I praise Him? What is in my praise? Is there sincere gratitude and adoration for my God?
I began to ponder and wonder what is in my praise. First of all, I looked up the definition of praise. Praise can be used as a verb or a noun. The word can show action when it is a verb or just be when it is a noun
Praise Function: verb
1: to express a favorable judgment of
2: to glorify (a god or saint) especially by the attribution of perfections
Function: noun
1 a: an expression of approval
Therefore to exhibit or express praise there has to be some sort of action. The verb expresses the expression.
The word praise is in the Bible a lot. Praise is first found in the book of Genesis when Leah gives birth to Judah
Genesis 29:35 -And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah, and left bearing.
Judah actually is defined as he shall be praised. Judah is often described as the tribe of praise. Some writings suggest that Leah had knowledge that the Messiah would spring from the seed of Judah and that is why she praised God and why she named her fourth-born son Praise.
Praise is mentioned more in the Book of Psalms than anywhere because of course, that book is kind of like one long praise to God. The Hebrew name for this book is TEHILLIM, which simply means praises. The Psalms show us how we should praise our God with child-like faith and confidence in Him. Sometimes we just have to repeat the same phrase over and over This verse reminds me of the simple song from the conference that has made me pay close attention to what is in my praise.
Psalm 47:6 - Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises.
In the book of Psalms, the word praise is used mostly as a verb. It shows action. It tells what the people did. They praised
Psalm 44:8 - In God, we boast all the day long, and praise thy name forever. Selah.
I decided the praise the song is referring to is the noun praise. My praise is a thing that is defined as an expression of my approval of something. What I do when I approve of this something can be nothing (if I choose to keep it inside) or it can be an action. This action can be praise, the verb.
Psalm 149:3 Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.
I sometimes sing. I sometimes dance. I sometimes jump. I sometimes lift my hands toward heaven. I sometimes shout. I sometimes say, “I praise you.” I sometimes simply sit quietly in the presence of God.
I have found throughout the past few years that if I praise God even when things don’t look that hopeful, He brings peace to confusion, He replaces sadness with joy. He replaces hopelessness with hope. He brings victory to my battle. He is my refuge and place of shelter in the storms of this life. He brings peace that can’t be shaken no matter what comes my way. Even when I don’t feel like I have anything to be thankful for, I still tell Him, thank you and He always puts His arms around me and says you’re welcome
The first thing I found that is in my praise is God Himself. The one who I am praising is in my praise. He inhabits the praises of His people.
Psalm 22:3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel
Also, the very glory of the Lord fills the place where we praise
II Chronicles 5: 13 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD; 14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.
Thus the temple became the place where the divine glory was revealed, and the king of Israel established his royal residence. Our bodies are His temple. When we praise Him His glory fills these temples. The King resides within us.
There is also victory in my praise. When I begin to praise Him even when the whole world seems to be against me, He smites those who come against me.
2Ch 20:22 - And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten
The praise itself destroys things that come against me. Praise is a two-edged sword
Psalm 149:6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand.
The two-edged sword, in Hebrew, is pipiyoth, which means "mouth mouths." So we should keep high praises in our mouths in order to always be prepared for battle.
There is a pleasant sense of peace and calm in my praise.
Psalm 147:1
Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant, and praise is comely.
As I thought and studied, I began to understand that the noun praise and the verb praise seem to overlap. When we praise (the verb) praise the noun comes into existence. Praise the noun only exists if praise the verb happens. In order to go on a walk (the noun) we must be able to walk (the verb). To be able to talk (the verb) about a talk (the noun) we must be able to talk. To determine what’s in our praise (the noun) we have to determine how we praise (the verb). Is our praise sincere? Is it from our heart? Is it filled with childlike confidence in our Father? If we are going to talk the talk of Christians we must walk the walk. If we have praise within us we must praise. Whatever is in us will come out and will be in our praise. God dwells within us, God inhabits our praises.
When God inhabits our praises things begin to happen.
Acts 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
We are set free through our praise. Bands are loosed. Doors are opened.
God does great works in us when He is in the midst of our praise; some things that may not be visible to the human eye are very visible to our hearts and to our spirits.
When God heals us praise comes. We don’t really care who is looking or what they think.
Acts 3:8 With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.
When we see miracles in our lives and others lives praise comes.
Luke 19:37 -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,
As time goes by that simple little tune is going to stay stuck in my head. Just like the happy song from long ago, I will always remember it and it will always make me smile. I just pray each time I praise my God I will think about what is in my praise. There should always be love and adoration and sincerity, coming straight from my heart to my God and my King. His glory should fill my praise. His power should come in my praise. My healing should come through my praise. My peace and calm should come in my praise. My freedom should come through my praise. Just like the commercial that says it’s all inside, all these things should be in my praise. It’s in my praise!