Worthy of my praise ∙

Worthy of my praise ∙

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Psalms 34:1-8

1 I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.
2 I will boast only in the LORD; let all who are helpless take heart.
3 Come, let us tell of the LORD’s greatness; let us exalt his name together.

4 I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.

6 In my desperation, I prayed, and the LORD listened; he saved me from all my troubles.
7 For the angel of the LORD is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him.
8 Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!

In 1999, the album “Better Is One Day” was released. It features a beautiful song that recalls the hymns of old when the Father was the focus of our songs and worship, not us:

You alone are worthy of my praise.

The beginning is as follows:
And I will give You all my worship
I will give You all my praise
You alone I long to worship
You alone are worthy of my praise

(I will worship)
I will worship (I will worship)
With all of my heart (With all of my heart)
And I will praise You (I will praise You)
With all of my strength (With all my strength)
And I will seek You (I will seek You)
All of my days (All of my days)
Oh, and I will follow (I will follow)
Follow all of Your ways (All Your ways)

It could be a modern update to David’s ancient Hebrew song, in which he praises and honors the Father for all He has done for him (Psalms 34).

Sometimes, doing good things can have dire consequences and collateral damage. David killed Goliath and became the hero of Israel. Saul grew jealous and pursued him for years (1 Samuel 21). David penned many of the Psalms, including Psalms 34, during this tumultuous period.

Psalms 34 is a vibrant invitation filled with joy. After experiencing the Father’s deliverance, David calls on us to join him in praising the Father and to trust in His saving power. He encourages us to experience the Father’s goodness by seeing, tasting, enjoying, respecting, honoring, and truly knowing Him.

Inspired by the Holy Spirit, this Psalm extends an invitation from the Father Himself to all children of the King. He desires for us to taste His goodness, honor Him, and find joy in His presence. The Father is inherently good, blessing and safeguarding those who place their trust in Him (James A. Johnston).

As humans, we often focus on ourselves. This can be a temptation in our service to Him. While seeking the Father’s purpose is commendable, we might find ourselves more absorbed in how it benefits us rather than how it glorifies Him, even in our acts of praise.

True worship should focus solely on the Lord, not ourselves. As children of the King, we are made to praise. Peter reminds us: “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, to declare His excellence, for He called you out of darkness into His wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9).

We are called to live lives filled with praise for our Father, and Psalms 34 offers us a roadmap for worship.

When should we worship? Our hearts and words should be full of praise for the Father always, at all times, in every situation, whether good or bad (Psalms 34:1). Worship is a continual, moment-by-moment attitude of the heart.

How do we worship? Our praise and worship center on expressing gratitude and adoration for the Father (Psalms 34:2-3). When children of the King revere Him, an exhilarating transformation occurs within us. Our hearts grow more prayerful and focused on Him. We experience great joy as we rejoice in Him.

Where should we worship? Praise should be a personal ongoing practice. Yet, the psalmist invites us, “Let us exalt His name together” (Psalms 34:3). Collective praise enhances our worship as our voices unite in honoring Him. The Father delights in the collective praise of His children. When children of the King worship and praise Him together, our efforts transcend mere addition; they are exponentially enriched, offering a foretaste of heaven to come.

Is praise an integral part of your life? By giving the Lord a central place in your thoughts and heart, He is magnified, and praise becomes your genuine, instinctive, and natural response (Stanley, Michael W. Wesley).

REFLECT & PRAY

“In prayer, we act like men [people]; in praise, we act like angels” (Puritan preacher Thomas Watson).

Father, guide me to recognize and honor You consistently. May Your magnificent greatness be the focal point of my existence.

INSIGHT

What does it mean to bless the Lord at every moment? To bless someone is to say a good word to them. We speak positively and honorably concerning them.

“Blessing is the projection of good into the life of another. It isn’t just words. It’s the actual putting forth of your will for the good of another person. It always involves God because when you do the good of another person, you realize only God is capable of bringing it to pass. So we naturally say, ‘God bless you.’”

“You can bless someone when you will their good under the invocation of God. You invoke God on their behalf to support the good that you will do for them. This is the nature of blessing. It is what we are to receive from God and then give to another.”

“This isn’t just a verbal performance. It isn’t ‘bless you’ said through gritted teeth. It’s a generous outpouring of our whole being into blessing the other person” (Dallas Willard).

When the Father blesses someone, He speaks words over them for their well-being and prosperity. However, when we bless the Father, it isn’t about enhancing or improving Him, as we cannot add to His perfection. Instead, it’s about acknowledging His attributes: His kindness, goodness, beauty, and generosity. To magnify the Lord is to proclaim His greatness (ESV notes).

But there’s more!

As children of the King, we are meant to experience His goodness firsthand. We are not to merely believe in His goodness; we are to come and find out how delightful His goodness is. David appeals to us to taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalms 34:8). This is one of the unique instances in the Scriptures where the Father invites His children to put Him to the test. The Father challenges us to actively engage with faith and discover His goodness in our personal experience. Sampling the Father and experiencing His delightful goodness is transformational.

“Tasting” typically means experiencing flavors through the mouth, but it can also metaphorically refer to sampling something for understanding or appreciation. For instance, the phrase “Taste and see that the Lord is good” suggests that one should experience and understand the goodness of the Lord through personal engagement and reflection.

The Hebrew word translated as “taste” is taam. Taam has to do with determining or perceiving the quality of something. We are encouraged to discover through experience what the psalmist already knew: the Lord is good.

How can we sample the Father’s goodness? By immersing ourselves in His Word and meditating on it, we uncover just how delightful the Father truly is.

Psalms 119:103 How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey.

“Taste” doesn’t suggest a sip or a nibble; it implies feeding on the Lord through His Word and experiencing all He has for us. It means knowing Him better and enjoying Him more (Wiersbe).

“Too often, we are too full of the stuff of the world to care about tasting from the Lord. May the Lord challenge us to put that stuff aside and taste and see that He alone is good (Stanley)!”

“You will know as much of God, and only as much of God, as you are willing to put into practice” (Liddell).

“If it’s not your practice, pick a day this week and praise God throughout the day. Praise Him when you wake up, praise Him when you eat, praise Him when you leave the house and when you return” (Stanley).

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© Dr. H 2024