Fully to Enjoy is to Glorify {Psalm 34:1-3}
Praise is the Beauty of a Christian
Praise is the Beauty of a Christian. What wings are to a bird, what fruit is to the tree, what the rose is to the thorn, that is praise to a child of God. -Charles Spurgeon
Psalm 34
David’s psalms are steeped in God’s omniscience (all-knowing), omnipresence (always present), and omnipotence (all-powerful) presence. Through David’s honest and transparent conversations with God, we witness his high and low struggles that helped him arrive at the satisfaction of saying, “It is well with my soul” and then we observe him repeat the cycle!
Psalm 34 was written by David before he became king. After David killed Goliath, his fame preceded him. While he was fleeing for his life from King Saul, the king of Gath recognized David:
But the servants of Achish said to him, Is this not David the king of the land. Did they not sing of this one as they danced saying, Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands? David took these words to heart and greatly feared Achish king of Gath. So he disguised his sanity before them, and acted insanely in their hands, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva run down into his beard. 1 Samuel 21:11-13 (NASB)
So they left David alone and he fled to a cave. While he was alone in a time of fear and wilderness, David penned Psalm 34:
I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul will make its boast in the LORD; The humble will hear it and rejoice. O magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together. Psalm 34:1-3 (NASB)
David, in fear for his life, let God search him and know his heart.
The posture of David’s heart was low and prayerful.
- Praise begins with the posture of my heart. It begins with me. Search me Lord and know my heart. When the posture of my heart bows low, it reaches high above the chaos, concern, and worry my finite eyes can see.
- What is the object of my desire? The posture of my heart will follow the object of my desire.
Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. Isaiah 26:8 (NIV)
The Psalmist David knew this truth. When he felt overwhelmed, or when he felt scared, David slipped away to a quiet place to praise God. Praise was ever on His lips. Praise brought him back into oneness with God. The object of David’s desire was his Heavenly Father.
The Practice of Praising God
Paul affirmed the practice of praising God in his epistles or letters. He praises God at the very beginning of the letters. God’s will for us is to look towards the Creator of all things created at all times – especially when life seems heavy. I don’t know about you, but life has seemed a little heavy to me these days.
What does the practice of praising God do?
- Praise takes the focus off of the creation and places it on the Creator.
- Praise reflects the posture of my heart.
- Praise turns worry turns into worship.
- Praise gives me a fresh perspective.
- Praise turns panic into peace.
- Praise gives me an attitude of gratitude.
- Praise defeats the enemy.
- Praise produces spiritual endurance.
This practice of praising God in the good times produces a pattern for us to hold on tightly to and follow during difficult times. And as we praise God, the weight of the world begins to shift from sitting on our shoulders to His holy hands.
Restlessness and impatience change nothing except our peace and joy. Peace does not dwell in outward things, but in the heart prepared to wait trustfully and quietly on Him who has all things safely in His hands.― Elisabeth Elliott
He Holds it All in His Hands
Remember, He holds the whole world in His hands. Praising God helps to empty the muck and the mire that tends to settle on our hearts from the daily drama, so that God’s holy presence may fully enter our hearts to fill them with peace, joy, love, self-control, and an abundance of grace for today.
A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Luke 6:45 (NIV)
Out of the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks. Our hearts need an abundance of GRACE to overcome hearts who walk beside us that are filled with fear and anxiety.
Praise is inner health made audible. -C.S. Lewis
Praising God does not come out of obligation, but out of pure joy! Just as we praise our favorite teams or musicians or food, When we recognize the gifts God has bestowed upon us, we can’t help but praise God!
C.S. Lewis states, “The Psalmists in telling everyone to praise God are doing what all men do when they speak of what they care about.” He goes on to say, “I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation. It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed.”
Truly, nobody keeps silent about things or people they love or in which they take delight.
Fully to enjoy is to glorify. -C.S. Lewis
Our souls discover the state of oneness we crave when praise goes up and the fullness of His love is reciprocated by the loving presence of our Heavenly Father.
So today, let us set aside time to praise God with our words, with our actions, and with our thoughts.
You’ve got this today, because He has you!
These truth’s come from God’s Word.
God’s Word is true.
God’s Word is enough.
You are so loved. I am praying for you.
Basking in His Light
Please subscribe
to receive devotionals and ministry updates directly in your inbox!
