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What is Praise?
Praise means “to commend, to applaud or magnify.” For the Christian, praise to God is an expression of worship, lifting-up and glorifying the Lord. It is an expression of humbling ourselves and centering our attention upon the Lord with heart-felt expressions of love, adoration and thanksgiving. High praises bring our spirit into a pinnacle of fellowship and intimacy between ourselves and God it magnifies our awareness of our spiritual union with the most high God. Praise transports us into the realm of the supernatural and into the power of God. “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance” (Psalms 89:15).
There are many actions involved with praise to God, verbal expressions of adoration and thanksgiving, singing, playing instruments, shouting, dancing, lifting or clapping our hands. There is not one orchestrated way of praise, like telling people to stand up and praise God and then telling them to sit down. True praise is not “merely” going through the motions. Jesus spoke about the hypocrisy of the pharisees, whose worship was only an outward show and not from the heart. “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me” (Matthew 15:8). Genuine praise to God is a matter of humility and sincere devotion to the Lord from within.
Modest praise and worship pleases the Lord. He delights in the love and devotion of His children. According to the scriptures, the various expressions of praise bring blessing to the Lord. He eagerly awaits the fragrance of our affections, desiring to manifest His sweet presence and power in our midst. “...the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him” (John 4:23).
Praise to God is a Lifestyle
All too often, praise to God is something that many people leave at church, an event that happens only when they come together with other Christians. However, praise should be a part of a believers lifestyle, inter-mingled as a part of their daily prayer-life. At work, in the car, at home in bed, or anywhere; praise to the Lord brings the refreshing of the Lord’s presence, along with His power and anointing. “...I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalms 34:1).
Praise is an expression of faith, and a declaration of victory! It declares that we believe God is with us and is in control of the outcome of all our circumstances (Romans 8:28). Praise is a “sacrifice,” something that we offer to God sacrificially, not just because we feel like it, but because we believe in Him and wish to please Him. “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (Hebrews 13:15).
Praise Elevates us into God’s Presence and Power
Paul and Silas knew the secret of how to lift their hearts above their troubles and enter into God’s presence and power. Through praise and worship their hearts were raised into the joyous presence and peace of God, and provided God a channel for his power to operate in their circumstances.
This Bible story begins the unjust arrest of Paul and Silas. Because they had cast a spirit of divination out of a girl, the local Philippian authorities beat them and then threw them into a jail cell. Besides the trauma of the severe beating, they were fastened in stocks which clamped their arms and legs in an immobile position, causing cramps and loss of circulation. The atmosphere there was depressing. According to the standards of that day, a prison was more like the resemblance of a dungeon. A dark, damp, stench-ridden place, with no facility for waste or comforts of any kind.
Yet, in spite of the throbbing pain in their bodies and the disheartening atmosphere, at midnight Paul and Silas were heard praying and singing praises to God! What a strange sound this must have been to the other prisoners, who were used to only hearing the groans or cursings of those who had been beaten.
Then suddenly, there was an earthquake that shook the prison! The doors flung open, and amazingly, the bonds of Paul, Silas, and every other prisoner were released (Acts 16:23-26)! True Praise not only releases you from your pain and worry but it also releases those around you.
The Bible says that God inhabits in the praises of His people (Psalms 22:3). In other words, God “dwells” in the atmosphere of His praise. This means that praise is not merely a reaction from coming into His presence - Praise is a vehicle of faith which brings us into the presence and power of God! Praise and worship is the “gate-pass” which allows us to enter the sacredness of His glory. The psalmist writes, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name” (Psalms 100:4).
This corresponds with Jesus’ teaching, that His presence will inhabit the gathering of believers who congregate in His name: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). A “gathering in His name” means that Jesus must be the focus, the center of the assembly. He must be the one preached about, sung about the one praised and worshiped. “I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee” (Hebrews 2:12). Consequently, Christ’s presence, along with His virtue and anointing, is manifested in this type of gathering.
Some Biblical Expressions of Praise
Declaring of thanks (Heb. 13:15)
Clapping hands and shouting (Psalms 47:1)
Musical instruments and dancing (Psm. 150:4)
Singing praise songs (Psalms 9:11)
Psalms, hymns, & spiritual songs (Eph. 5:19-20)
Making a joyful noise (Psalms 98:4)
By lifting our hands (Psalms 134:2)
By being still (Psalms 4:3-5, 46:10)
By being loud (Psalms 33:3, 95:1-6)
Here Are Several Hebrew Words in the Bible That Have Been Translated as "Praise" in English To Get A Better Understanding Of Praise
Yadah
The root meaning is "the extended hand, to throw out the hand, therefore to worship with extended hand."
This word is found in 2 Chronicles 20:19-21
The members of the Levite clans of Kohath and Korah stood up and with a loud shout praised the Lord, the God of Israel. Early the next morning the people went out to the wild country near Tekoa. As they were starting out, Jehoshaphat addressed them with these words: "Men of Judah and Jerusalem! Put your trust in the Lord your God, and you will stand your ground. believe what his prophets tell you and you will succeed. After consulting with the people, the king ordered some musicians to put on the robes they wore on sacred occasions and to march ahead of the army, singing: "Praise the Lord! His love is eternal!"
Towdah
Towdah comes from the same principle root word as Yadah meaning to throw out your hands to God. It literally means, "an extension of the hand in adoration , or acceptance". It carries an attitude of gratitude for the Lord. It is apparent in the Psalms and elsewhere that it is used for thanking God for 'things not yet received' as well as things already at hand.
2 Chronicles 29:31
Bring sacrifices as offerings of thanksgiving to the Lord.
Halal
Halal means "to boast, to brag about, to magnify, to be clamorously foolish". Do you remember raving when you first fell in love or had a new baby? You eagerly told everyone about this wonderful person! I'm sure you went on and on as most of us did. Think how wonderful it is when we are all that excited about God and the awesome things He does in our lives. Chapters with Halal praises include Psalms 104, 105, and 106.
Shabach
Shabach means "to address in a loud tone, to command, triumph, glory, shout." Shabach is found in Psalm 47:1; Psalm 63 1:3,4; Psalm 117:1, Psalm 106:47; and Isaiah 12:6.
"Shout to God with a voice of triumph" (Psalm 47:1)
Barak
Barak means "to kneel down, to bless God as an act of adoration." This word is used in Psalm 72:12-15 and implies "expecting to receive something from the Lord."
Barak is also found in Psalm 95:6; 1 Chronicles 29:20 and Nehemiah 9:5.
Zamar
Zamar means "to touch the strings" referring to worshiping with musical instruments. In Psalm 150, David said, "Awake my glory; awake harp and lyre, I will awaken the dawn! I will give thanks to Thee, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises (zamar) to Thee among the nations."
Zamar is translated to the Greek word, psallo, which is closely related to our word psalm.
The word Zamar is found in Psalm 21:3; Psalm 66:2,4; and Isaiah 12:5.
Psalm 98:4 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth; make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. Sing unto the Lord with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm. With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the Lord, the King.
Tehilla
Tehilla means "to sing, to laud." It is singing our halal. Psalm 22:3 says that "God is enthroned or inhabits the praises (tehilla) of His people." This is the kind of praise where God dwells. We find this praise in 1 Chronicles 16:35; Isaiah 42:10,12 and 2 Chronicles 20:22.
Karar
One way people express emotions is through dancing. As children of God, we should respond as children would when they are happy -- dance.
Karar means to dance or whirl. 2 Samuel 6:5: David and all the Israelites were dancing and singing with all their might to honor the Lord.
Raqud
Means to stamp, to spring about wildly or for joy, to dance, jump, or skip. 1 Chronicles 15:29 is the story of the return of the ark.
There are a hundred ways people can praise God but they must have the right attitide and the right motivation for God to be pleased with their praise.
Here are some attitudes that christians must bring to God for Him to accept their praise. If their attitude is not right then their praise is in vain and they are just shouting and waving hands for nothing.
Acceptable attitudes
Honesty (John 4:23)
Gratitude (Hebrews 12:28)
Faith (Hebrews 11:4)
Righteousness (Malachi 3:3)
In the Spirit (Phil. 3:3)
Reverence (Hebrews 12:28)
Humility and brokenness (Psalms 51:15-19)
Purity (Leviticus 22:18-22)
Wholeheartedness (Deut 6:4-6; 1 Chronicles 29:6-9)
Joy (Phil. 4:4, 1 Chron. 15:16)
Loyalty (Hosea 6:4, 6)
Justice (Amos 5:22-24)
Simplicity (Exodus 20:25)
Self-giving (Ephesians 5:1; Romans 12:1)
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