The Power of Praise

Like most good things in life, this is one that I had to learn the hard way. “Hard” in that I wish someone would have set me aside and helped me to get it, taught me the correlation in a way that I wouldn’t forget — so I could have been applying this Truth my whole life.

Praise. More specifically, the power that comes from praise. Pretty neat stuff. I noticed it when reading Psalm 42.

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and [why] art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him [for] the help of his countenance.
— Psalm 42:5

…and…

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, [who is] the health of my countenance, and my God.
— Psalm 42:11

Very interesting, I said to myself. This Psalm is a lament by the Psalmist. Some of the other verses are like, “My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God” and “My tears have been my meat day and night” and “I pour out my soul in me” — maybe “lament” was too soft of a word. This Psalm is about a bleeding, hurting, needing heart.

It’s interesting because, in the midst of this great heartache, in the midst of the crying out “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.”, the Psalmist finds time — no, makes time — to praise — “I shall yet praise him [for] the help of his countenance”, “I remember thee”, “I shall yet praise him, [who is] the health of my countenance, and my God”.

What does that do for a person? Turns out, a lot.

Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,
being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
— Romans 4:20, 21

Abraham had to believe for a son, even in his old age. And what accompanied Abraham during this time — praise to God.

And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
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.
— Acts 16:25, 26

Yow! Talk about power!!

It’s important. To be honest, I didn’t give praise as much a place in my life as I probably should have. It wasn’t until God showed me some of these verses (and there are tons of other ones — I think of Daniel) in which praise in the face of adversity pulled people through the tough times and helped to increase their faith.

Praise and worship causes us to see God bigger — praise and worship magnify God in our eyes thereby giving our faith a chance to grow.

Have you praised God today?

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