I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1
Really! How can I praise Him in sadness? How can I praise Him when I can barely see my way through this thick cloud of trials? Why can’t he just stretch forth His hand and save me from drowning in my own tears, why won’t He make it all better. I’m so tired and yet He commands praise from my lips. My throat is so dry from crying that I can barely talk, and yet He wants me to Praise Him, He demands that I praise him.
‘Never mind what you’re going through child just praise me’ He calmly whispers.
But how can I Lord? I’m not happy right now, I don’t feel like praising you today, I’m so down in the dumps, I just want to give up, and I just want to throw in the towel.
‘I know’ He whispers, ‘you just praise me’ He says again. I reply stubbornly, but why?
‘I will bless the LORD at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth’.
‘Lord that was David, not me’ I replied. He said, ‘why? why did David say that?’
I paused and really thought about it. Why on earth did David write all those hymns about praising Him? He had every reason to be angry with God; after all, he was promised a palace and for so many years lived in a cave. He was promised a people, but for so long had enemies. His best friend died, he spent some time in jail and had to pretend to be mad just to escape from his enemies! I could write a book on the trials of David, and yet he praised God. Even Michal his wife couldn't understand why David was full of praise. Why would he dance before His so called God like that? Doesn't he have any shame? What has God done for him anyway? Look at how he dances and shouts to his God? How irritating!
Sadly, Michal did not have the opportunity to find out why David loved praising God, but something tells me I was about to find out.
‘You see child, praise is not about how you feel, nor is it about what I have or haven’t done for you. Praise is about who I am and why you are. I desire your worship. Your praise ushers you into my presence, remember?’
Yes Lord I remember, I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart and His courts with praise, it’s David again.
Really! How can I praise Him in sadness? How can I praise Him when I can barely see my way through this thick cloud of trials? Why can’t he just stretch forth His hand and save me from drowning in my own tears, why won’t He make it all better. I’m so tired and yet He commands praise from my lips. My throat is so dry from crying that I can barely talk, and yet He wants me to Praise Him, He demands that I praise him.
‘Never mind what you’re going through child just praise me’ He calmly whispers.
But how can I Lord? I’m not happy right now, I don’t feel like praising you today, I’m so down in the dumps, I just want to give up, and I just want to throw in the towel.
‘I know’ He whispers, ‘you just praise me’ He says again. I reply stubbornly, but why?
‘I will bless the LORD at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth’.
‘Lord that was David, not me’ I replied. He said, ‘why? why did David say that?’
I paused and really thought about it. Why on earth did David write all those hymns about praising Him? He had every reason to be angry with God; after all, he was promised a palace and for so many years lived in a cave. He was promised a people, but for so long had enemies. His best friend died, he spent some time in jail and had to pretend to be mad just to escape from his enemies! I could write a book on the trials of David, and yet he praised God. Even Michal his wife couldn't understand why David was full of praise. Why would he dance before His so called God like that? Doesn't he have any shame? What has God done for him anyway? Look at how he dances and shouts to his God? How irritating!
Sadly, Michal did not have the opportunity to find out why David loved praising God, but something tells me I was about to find out.
‘You see child, praise is not about how you feel, nor is it about what I have or haven’t done for you. Praise is about who I am and why you are. I desire your worship. Your praise ushers you into my presence, remember?’
Yes Lord I remember, I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart and His courts with praise, it’s David again.
‘Well David was right; he knew something you did not know. David knew me and understood that in spite of everything, I am God. He didn't need anyone to read him my credentials, all he had to do was look around him and acknowledge that there is a God who is bigger than anything, bigger than all his problems, and that God commanded praise from his lips. Because he had a relationship with me, he knew he couldn't but praise me.’
‘David had watched me deliver his sheep from the mouth of the lion through his little hands. He had seen me knock down Goliath with five stones and a sling, he knew better than to think that he did it all by himself. David knew that he needed to praise me almost as much as I wanted to hear him praise me. You see, he denied his enemies and mine, the very thing they wanted the most, the fruit of his lips, his shout.’
‘You see, it was that same shout that knocked down the walls of Jericho, and that same shout that caused Jehoshaphat’s enemies to be self slain. It was that same shout that brought down the glory cloud during the dedication of the temple when Solomon was king.’
‘I created the fruit of the lips, it was I who gave David the ability to praise, all he had to do was trust me enough to open up his mouth and let out a sound, and he knew that as soon as that sound came out, there was no stopping him. The devil desired to have his praise, after all, he once thought he could be me, the I AM, well he soon figured out that that was a big mistake, so he tries to play God, in people’s lives. He does that by shutting you up. Once you stop praising me, you acknowledge him and his works, you accept defeat, more importantly you stop hurting him.’
‘David had watched me deliver his sheep from the mouth of the lion through his little hands. He had seen me knock down Goliath with five stones and a sling, he knew better than to think that he did it all by himself. David knew that he needed to praise me almost as much as I wanted to hear him praise me. You see, he denied his enemies and mine, the very thing they wanted the most, the fruit of his lips, his shout.’
‘You see, it was that same shout that knocked down the walls of Jericho, and that same shout that caused Jehoshaphat’s enemies to be self slain. It was that same shout that brought down the glory cloud during the dedication of the temple when Solomon was king.’
‘I created the fruit of the lips, it was I who gave David the ability to praise, all he had to do was trust me enough to open up his mouth and let out a sound, and he knew that as soon as that sound came out, there was no stopping him. The devil desired to have his praise, after all, he once thought he could be me, the I AM, well he soon figured out that that was a big mistake, so he tries to play God, in people’s lives. He does that by shutting you up. Once you stop praising me, you acknowledge him and his works, you accept defeat, more importantly you stop hurting him.’
Lord, so when David was praising you, he wasn't just obeying your command, he was shutting the devil up? You mean he stoned and even shot the devil while praising you? He spoke life into his seemingly dead situation while praising you? He revived his spirit by praising you? He quickened his body, soul and mind by praising you? He received restoration while praising you?
‘Well what do you know, it turns out that David was no fool after all’.
‘Well what do you know, it turns out that David was no fool after all’.
‘Child, you see, praise is about me and if you know me, you’ll trust me. If you trust me, you’ll praise me in spite of it all, whether you feel like it or not. You’ll praise me in the good times and in the bad, whether you’re happy or sad, in abundance and in lack, because I’m the unchangeable changer, the uncreated creator. When you praise me, I step into your situation. Can you meet with God and go back the same?’
Lord, I also remember Job. ‘Job?’ Yes Lord, Job. When he heard the news of the entire calamity that had come upon him in one day, he did the most amazing thing. The bible records that he arose, tore his garment, and fell to the ground and worshipped. Imagine that! He’d lost everything in one day and he still found it in his heart to worship you. Even his wife couldn't understand it.
Lord, I also remember Job. ‘Job?’ Yes Lord, Job. When he heard the news of the entire calamity that had come upon him in one day, he did the most amazing thing. The bible records that he arose, tore his garment, and fell to the ground and worshipped. Imagine that! He’d lost everything in one day and he still found it in his heart to worship you. Even his wife couldn't understand it.
‘Well done child. Now, go on and try it. Just let go and trust me enough to open up your mouth and let out the sound. You don’t even have to like it, just open up your mouth and let it out, and I’ll take it from there. Before you know it you’ll be dancing and shouting like David did and you know what? You’ll love it! Just let go child and let ME.’
‘Let my praise always be in your mouth. After all, I created the fruit of your lips. Your praise belongs to me child; I gave it to you for a reason. Honour me with what is mine. Come let us dance together. Don’t let the devil shut you up, the power of life and death is in that tongue of yours, use it, use it wisely. Praise me and watch me step in.’
Oh, just one more thing Lord, ‘What is it child?’ You said praise is also about why I am? Yes? Well what does that mean? You live to praise me.
Lord, I repent for thinking it was all about me, and that you need my praise to function, when it is I who needed to praise you to function. I’m sorry Lord, now I understand. Thank you lord, for your inspiration that has given me understanding. Devil, you can't have my shout!
(Written by: Yewande Erinle © All rights reserved)
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