Continual Praise

Text: Psalm 50:23

Whoever offers praise glorifies me; and to him that orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.

Introduction

     When is the most appropriate time to praise God?  If you have to think before you speak perhaps you don’t know the answer? Think about it from a Biblical perspective. Consider two particular verses of Scripture:

1.   “This is the day which the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalms 118:24).

          Every day brings it’s own opportunities for praise. Simply being alive and well is a gift for which we can thank God continually. Rejoice in the privilege of being alive to enjoy this day. Make it a point to praise God each time you think about it.

     2.  “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in every thing give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1^st Thessalonians 5:16-18). God deserves our praises in every situation we face, and we can praise Him if we trust Him. He always has our best interests at heart.

How to praise God

     Should our praises be limited to words? Let me rephrase the question: Is it possible to praise God without using words? It is. We can praise God with our attitudes and our actions. In fact, our actions, whether good or bad, often speak much louder than what we say.

Let me repeat my text: Whoever offers praise glorifies me; and to him that orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God. (Psalm 50:23). The two terms (praise and conduct) are parallel, if not congruent in that text. In other words, if our conduct does not verify what we say, our words are vain.

What kind of conduct is appropriate here?  The answer is “obedience,” not just occasionally but as a way of life. All of our activities should bring praise to Him. Ecclesiastes, Chapter Twelve, contains specific directions: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

Gift

     Of course, salvation is a gift from God, one we cannot earn in any fashion. However, it can be received only on His terms. Those who want to enjoy God’s salvation must “Fear God and keep His commandments,” which requires repenting for sin, giving up on self, and submitting to His lordship. When we allow Jesus to direct our lives we can rest in His promise: “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1).

Ability

      The ability to give up on self and allow Jesus to direct ones conduct is, at the same time, the most obvious necessity for, and the best kept secret of, successful Christianity. It is impossible for men to satisfy God’s demands for obedience and purity. We can learn to allow Jesus to live His perfect life in and through us. So, if your conduct and conversation are currently ordered correctly it is so for two reasons:  1^st. Because you love God you are making an honest effort to keep His commandments. 2^nd. Because Jesus lives in you He is able to do through you what you cannot do yourself.

Love or necessity?

Jesus is God. He has a right to expect Christians to obey Him. However, He wants us to do so because of love for Him rather than from necessity. God must have felt that way from the beginning. The First of His Ten Commandments promises mercy to those who keep His commandments because of love for Him. (Exodus 20:6).

Most Christians have a sincere desire to please God, at least while they are in church. Unfortunately, few of us can claim much real success even within the sanctuary. Although a part of our failure stems from insufficient desire, a greater part usually results from mistaken ideas about what actually pleases our Heavenly Father.

What pleases God?

      Do you believe, as did the Pharisees of Jesus’ day, that you can please God through strict obedience to a set of rules?  If so, you don’t understand God’s intentions. James called man’s need to please God ‘religion’ and indicated it has nothing to do with obedience to rules and regulations. He said, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27).       The Pharisees supplemented Moses’ Law with traditions, using a do-it-yourself approach to salvation. But the Law was only a “tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might become justified by faith. (Gal. 3:24).

God is pleased by faith that includes believing in Christ and accepting His provision for sin. As 1st Corinthians 1:21 says, it “pleased” Him “by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” on Jesus. Without that kind of faith it is impossible to please God: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6).

God’s salvation

      Jesus Christ is “God’s salvation.” (Genesis 49:18). He fulfilled Moses’ Law and instituted a better covenant with men (Hebrews 8:6), one based on what He did rather than on what we must do. As 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, God has made Jesus who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

The most obvious difference between Christians and non-Christians is life-style. Ours must be patterned after Christ. We can use the Ten Commandments as a guide, remembering how Jesus expressed them as two. He indicated we could keep all of ten by loving God with all our hearts and loving our neighbors as ourselves. (Matthew 22:37-40).

Attitude

Effective praise has more to do with attitude than with action. Observing forms and ceremonies can be important but why and how should we do so? Jesus told the woman at the Well of Sychar that God knew the difference between sincere, spiritual worship and the performance of religious rites. He accepts only what is done from the heart. We don't have to abandon all form and pattern in worship; Jesus sanctioned at least two rites and ceremonies. (Water Baptism and Holy Communion). But I think He appreciates spontaneity too.

Praise Him

My text, Psalm 50:23, which says: “And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God,” also says, "Who ever offers praise glorifies Me.” When God is glorified through our praises He works to rescue us. 2nd Samuel 22:4 and Psalms 18:3 use the same words to say so: “I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from mine enemies.”

Who?

Perhaps it would help to explain exactly Who the God of our salvation is. Through Isaiah He told the Israelites, “You shall know that I, the LORD, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” (Isaiah 60:16b).

Jesus of Nazareth is “Emmanuel,” God-with-us. (Isaiah 7:14 & Matthew 1:23), The Creator Who came to earth to redeem us. (John 1:1-14). Look at Psalm 62:1-2: “Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.” The Hebrew word twice translated to “salvation” in that Psalm is “Y’shuw’ah.” And “Y’shuw’ah Ha Mesheac” is the Hebrew name for “Jesus, The Messiah.”

Praise Him continually

First Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us to maintain an attitude of gratitude. “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” Habakkuk praised God in good times and bad:  “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” (Habakkuk 3:17-18).

Sincerely

John 4 says God wants truthful, spiritual worship; not just going through the motions but doing so sincerely, with our hearts as well as with our voices. Five attitude inspired actions might help to direct us in both private and corporate worship.

I.    Thankfulness.

Whether our expressions are verbal or physical they should come from our hearts. Insincere worship does not glorify God; hypocritical worship falls flat. Paul said, “walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. (Col. 1:10). Those who did would be “strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy” making them able to give “thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.” (Col. 1:11-12).

Us too

     Their reasons for gratitude are ours: “He” has delivered us, too, “from the power of darkness and translated” us  “into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (Col. 1:13-14). I hope you don’t miss this point: Paul described a way of life we should adopt for our own good as well as for pleasing God.

Since He included us in His family, giving us all the benefits of redemption, let’s walk worthy of the Lord, and become fruitful Christians, growing in the faith through Bible Study. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:16-17). And faith comes from hearing, or reading, God’s word.  (Romans 10:17). 

II. Consecration.

As Christians, we are consecrated, or set apart from the rest of the world's people, for a special purpose. We are not our own, we are bought with a price, the precious blood of Jesus. (1 Cor. 6:20). Why wouldn’t we want to devote all of self to His service.

III. Spiritual Unity.

It's difficult for a body of believers to be in spiritual unity if they are not of one mind in natural matters. In Romans, Chapter 14, Paul encouraged us to keep peace among ourselves, being careful not to either condemn or irritate each other. Try to keep things in perspective. Focus on what is important. "The kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Romans 14”17). Be sensitive to other people’s needs. “That you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 15:6).

No limit

     Don't limit your praises to the sanctuary. Make regular praise an important part of your life.   Don't let a single hour pass without praising God thoughtfully and sincerely. Hebrews 13:15 says, "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name."

Don’t arrive at a church service needing to be “pumped up” for worship. Come prepared by being grateful to your gracious redeemer and telling Him so all the daylong. As Paul said: "Do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 5:18-20).

Are you thankful?

Do you have something to be thankful for?  Consider the abundant life God has given you to enjoy now and anticipate eternal life with Him. Don't rob Him of the glory due Him, and don't rob people of the opportunity to learn of His love through your praises.

In case you didn't know, or may have forgotten, the Bible promises future blessings to those who talk about God's goodness to themselves. Malachi said, "Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, And the Lord listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the Lord And who meditate on His name. They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him." (Malachi 3:16-17).

IV. Consecrated speech.

Again - we are not our own, we are bought with a price. As Jesus set us apart, we should set our conversation apart, making each word count for Him. When God delivered the Children of Israel from bondage in Egypt, He ordered them to obey the law and teach their children to do the same. "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one? You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words which I command you today shall he in your heart; you shall teach them diligently to your children, and you shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). We have a message of love and forgiveness to teach our children too. We have been delivered from the bondage of sin as Israel was delivered from slavery in Egypt.

V.  Spiritual conversation.

Did you ever try to talk about something and discover you couldn't because the person you were speaking to insisted on talking about something else? That usually isn’t a problem for people who share mutual interests, as Christians do when they live as they should and talk about Jesus with others who love Him.

Paul said; "Only let your conduct he worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel." (Philippians 1:27).

The point cannot be over stressed. Unity among Christians allows them to speak about the things of God freely and easily with each other. That kind of conversation impacts our lives, making us stronger spiritually through the constant reminders of our places in Christ. And we become fruitful, witnessing naturally to non-Christians in a spontaneous fashion, winning many of them for Jesus.

Conduct/conversation

     "Whoso offers praise glorifies Me. And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God." As you may know, The KJV used 'conversation' instead of 'conduct' in that passage. So how’s your conversation? Hopefully you don’t waste a lot of it talking about things that don't amount to much. Talk about Jesus. Tell the world about the Christ of Calvary - who came to bring life more abundant and free. And tell them what He has done for you.  Psalm 107 repeats a single phrase four times, one that   appears in verses 8, 15, 21, and 31: "Oh that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!"

Let's do it!

- - -

David E. Beneze, 1006 Fairview Ave, Canon City, CO. Written 9/4/77. Can’t recall source of outline. Latest revision 2/28/2007.