That's Why We Praise Him

Psalm 22:3"Yet You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel."

Israel's worship songs were both an act of remembering & an act of praise. It's amazing to me how many of Israel's songs remembered God's saving acts on their behalf. Psalm 30:11-12, Psalm 107, & Psalm 116:1-9 are great examples. Israel would be called to worship with "Hallelujah" or Praise (Hallelu) Yahweh (yah). And the call to praise the name of God would flood their memory with all the wonders God had done, all the blessings God had given, & all that God meant to them.

And when Israel worshiped, it elevated Yahweh above all other God's. So that God truly was "enthroned on the praises of Israel." Yahweh was elevated above Baal, Dagon, Marduk...above all other gods.

So too with our worship. When our worship experiences truly result in praise, God is lifted up above our gods. Above popularity, money, power, esteem, inclusion & all the rest. Or has our praise become routine. Perhaps we need to create, if even for our own personal times of worship, songs that reflect God's saving work in our lives. It is through remembering that praise is born. What is praise that is not born from experience? Cheap? Empty? Hopefully our praise can have the full meaning & call to mind all that God is in our lives as well so that the God who is worthy of praise may actually recieve praise from our lips, hearts & lives.

May Yahweh be lifted up in our praise.
Praise Him.