"Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are those who dwell in Your house and Your presence; they will be singing Your praises all the day long."
“Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. He said, Hearken, all Judah, you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you King Jehospaphat. The Lord says this to you: Be not afraid or dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.
Tomorrow go down to them. Behold, they will come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the ravine before the Wilderness of Jeruel. You shall not need to fight in this battle; taek your positions, stand still, and see the deliverance of the Lord [Who is] with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Fear not nor be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.
And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping Him. And some Levites of the Kohathites and Korahites stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.
And they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Here me, O Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God and you shall be established; believe and remain steadfast to His prophets and you shall prosper.
When he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers to sing to the Lord and praise Him in their holy [priestly] garments as they went out before the army, saying, Give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were [self-] slaughtered;
For [suspecting betrayal] the men of Ammon and Moab rose against those of Mount Seir, utterly destroying them. And when they had made an end of the men of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another. And when Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked at the multitude, and behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none had escaped!” (2 Chronicles 20:14-24)
“In my life be lifted high, in my world be lifted high, in my love be lifted high”
In another battle [Judah at war with Israel] 2 Chronicles 13:15 says, “Then the men of Judah gave a shout; and as they shouted, God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.”
“Your glory goes beyond all fame” sings in the background.
And a story that everyone is familiar with, in Joshua 6:1-21, “the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before the Lord and blew the trumpets, and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them.” On the seventh day they marched around the city seven times , and on the seventh time, Joshua proclaimed, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city.”
“Well above all my purpose remains the art of losing myself in giving you praise”
In Psalm 47, the sons of Korah proclaim, “O clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph and songs of joy! For the Lord Most High excites terror, awe, and dread; He is a great King over all the earth. He subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet. He chose our inheritance for us, the glory and pride of Jacob, whom He loves. Selah
God has ascended amid shouting, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises in a skillful psalm and with understanding.
God reigns over the nations; God sits upon His holy throne. The princes and nobles of the peoples are gathered together, a [united] people for the God of Abraham, for the shields of the earth belong to God; He is highly exalted.”
“Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, For our God Reigns!” sings
Commentary notes about the victory in 2 Chronicles 20, “Praise the Lord. The battle was won by the singers, standing in the most dangerous place of all—between two armies. But they sang the Lord’s praises and routed the enemy. The choir praised God after God gave the word (v. 19), before the battle (v. 21), and after the victory (vv. 26–28), a good pattern for us to follow in our praise.
In Hebrew, Berachah means “blessing” (v. 26). Even a valley can become a place of blessing if we learn how to praise the Lord. 'Prayer changes things' is a familiar saying that is certainly true. But it is also true that 'praise changes things.' Why? Because true praise changes people, and God can work in and through people who praise Him. True praise involves faith, hope, and love, the strongest weapons in the Christian armory.” [1]
David proclaims in 1 Chronicles 16:23, “Sing to the Lord, all the earth; show forth from day to day His salvation. Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples. For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; He also is to be [reverently] feared above all so-called gods. For all the gods of the people are [lifeless] idols, but the Lord made the heavens.
Honor and majesty are [found] in His presence; strength and joy are [round] in His sanctuary. Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength, Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name. Bring an offering and come before Him; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness and in holy array.
Tremble and reverently fear before Him, all the earth's peoples; the world also shall be established, so it cannot be moved. Let the heavens be glad and let the earth rejoice; and let men say among the nations, The Lord reigns! Let the sea roar, and all the things that fill it; let the fields rejoice, and all that is in them.
Then shall the trees of the wood sing out for joy before the Lord, for He comes to judge and govern the earth. O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving kindness endure forever!
“The time has come to stand for all we believe in, so I for one am gonna give my praise to You... in everything I do, Yeah, all the praise goes out to You.”
Paul says in Ephesians 5:19-20, “Speak out to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, offering praise with voices [and instruments] and making melody with all your heart to the Lord, at all times and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.”
“Let justice and praise become my embrace, to love you from the inside out” sings.
The Psalms are filled with praise for God. Praising God and singing to Him out of joy and thanksgiving are to be a regular part of our lives. Psalm 33:1-3 says, “Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous; for praise is becoming and appropriate for those who are upright. Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; sing praises to Him with the harp of ten strings. Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a loud and joyful sound."
Once commentary notes, “Our praise toward God is the means by which we express our joy to the Lord. We are to praise God both for who He is and for what He does (Ps. 150:2). Praising God for who He is is called adoration; praising Him for what He does is known as thanksgiving... The godly person will echo David’s words, “My praise shall be continually of You . . . And [I] will praise You yet more and more” (Ps. 71:6, 14).” [2]
The Hayfield Bible Handbook notes about praise, “Man was created to live and breathe in an atmosphere of praise-filled worship to His Creator. The avenue of sustained inflow of divine power was to be kept by the sustained outflow of joyous and humble praise to his Maker.... Such a walk of praise-filled openness to Him will cultivate deep devotion, faithful obedience, and constant joy.” [3]
According to this source, there are several important considerations in praise:
There is power in the unity of praise (2 Chr. 5:13). [4] 2 Chronicles 5:13-14 says, “And when the trumpeters and singers were joined in unison, making one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and other instruments for song and praised the Lord, saying, For He is good, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever, then the house of the Lord was filled with a cloud. So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.”
Praise births the victory (2 Chr. 20:15-22) [5] and causes ones enemies to be dispelled. Psalm 18:3 says, I will call upon the Lord, Who is to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.” As noted previously, some of the greatest victories in the bible came as a result of praise. It prepares the way for the Lord to accomplish His divine purposes.
David proclaims in Psalm 68:1-4 says, “God is [already] beginning to arise, and His enemies to scatter; let them also who hate Him flee before Him! As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish before the presence of God. But let the [uncompromisingly] righteous be glad; let them be in high spirits and glory before God, yes, let them [jubilantly] rejoice! Sing to God, sing praises to His name, cast up a highway for Him Who rides through the deserts -His name is the Lord -be in high spirits and glory before Him!”
And Psalm 66:1-5 proclaims, “Make a joyful noise unto God, all the earth; sing forth the honor and glory of His name; make His praise glorious! Say to God, How awesome and fearfully glorious are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power shall Your enemies submit themselves to You... All the earth shall bow down to You and sing [praises] to You; they shall praise Your name in song. Selah.
Praise pushes back the advancement of darkness (Ps. 7:14-17). As the Hayford Bible Handbook notes, praise is the answer when we are tempted by inequity or if someone sins against us. [7] In our praise, God will make a covering over us and defend us against our enemy.
Psalm 5:11 says, “But let all those who take refuge and put their trust in You rejoice; let them ever sing and shout for joy, because You make a covering over them and defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You and be in high spirits.”
Praise turns our hearts toward God and turns us away from our sins and idolatry. Psalm 67:3 says, "Let the peoples praise You [turn away from their idols] and give thanks to You, O God..." Praise will “bring the glorious presence of Jesus, driving out the desire to identify with the sinful act/or thought... Praise draws our attention to who He is rather than the circumstances we are in.” [8]
Praise ushers into God’s presence (Ps. 22:3-4). Psalm 100:4 says, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise!” The Hayfield Bible Handbook writes, “Unquestionably, one of the most remarkable and exciting things about honest and sincere praise is taught here: Praise will bring the presence of God. Although God is everywhere present, there is a distinct manifestation of His rule, which enters the environment of praise.” [9]
Psalm 22:3 proclaims, “But thou dwellest in the holy place, the praise of Israel.”
“Show me your glory, send down Your glory, I want to see Your face” sings in the background.
Praise brings a deep sense of satisfaction [10] and contentment (Ps. 63:1-5). Psalm 63:3, 5 says, “Because Your loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. So will I bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My whole being shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips...”
Praise is not dependent upon our circumstances. Habakkuk proclaims in 3:16-17, "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour 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."
Praise is also an act of the will.[11] “It is not merely an exuberance overflowing with words, but a self-induced declaration of thanksgiving—a sacrifice. The praiser chooses to praise.”
Hebrews 13:15 says, “Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.”
Praise and thanksgiving is an offering we give to God. Psalm 50:23 says, “He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God."
Praise has power. It frees the people from bondage and opens the prison doors, setting all the captives free (Acts 16:25-26). The Hayfield Bible Handbook notes about this, “Study this example of the power of praise, even in difficult circumstances. Beaten and imprisoned, Paul and Silas respond by singing a hymn of praise—a song sung directly from the heart to God. The relationship between their song of praise and their supernatural deliverance through the earthquake cannot be overlooked. Praise directed toward God can shake open prison doors! A man was converted, his household saved, and satanic captivity overthrown in Philippi. Today, as well, praise will cause every chain of bondage to drop away. When you are serving God and things do not go the way you planned, learn from this text. Praise triumphs gloriously!” [12]
We are to teach our children to praise God. Psalm 145:4 says, “One generation shall laud Your works to another and shall declare Your mighty acts.” They Hayfield Bible Handbook notes, “We must not merely “suppose” that children will grow up and desire God. We must be careful. Whatever we possess of God’s blessing and revelation can be lost in one generation. We must consistently praise Him and we must also teach (by example, as well as by words), so our children and our children’s children will do the same.” [13]
Sean Feucht sings, “You are good, Your love it knows no end” in the background.[a]
Praise is similar to prophesy in that it proclaims the victory and points one to what God is doing rather than focusing on one's circumstances. The Psalms are filled with both praise and prophesy. They often proclaim the victory in light of difficult circumstances.
Psalm 22:19-22 says, “But be not far from me, O Lord; O my Help, hasten to aid me! Deliver my life from the sword... Save me from the lion's mouth... I will declare Your name to my brethren; in the midst of the congregation will I praise You.”
The Hayfield Bible Handbook writes, “Praise Releases the Spirit of Prophecy.... As we joyfully sing praise to our God, Christ comes to flood our minds with the glory of the Father’s character (“name”). There is no doubt about it—the praises of the people in the church service release the spirit of prophetic revelation—the magnifying of God through Jesus Christ. Thus, praise introduces edification, exhortation, and comfort to bless the whole body.”[14]
As we listen to the news and voices of the world, it prophesies fear and disaster at every turn. If we are not teaching our children to praise God, the world will teach our children to fear and worry.
Sean Feucht in his book, “Fire & Fragrance” notes, “many of us have allowed the voice of the liberal media and secular society to infiltrate our minds, homes, families and churches for too long. These worldly voices have been used to prophesy discouragement, strife, recession, fear, and panic while the Church was meant to set the tone with a clarion sound of life!” [15]
Sean writes, “Anyone who can read has plenty of reasons to be discouraged with sliding morals, demonic laws, and increasingly humanistic ideals celebrated worldwide. However, it takes a totally different kind of person, operating in a different perspective, bringing a different reality, to see all of this and yet live with a constant, confident hope that the Kingdom of God will not be stopped, and despite the headlines of the media, He is winning!” [16]
He goes on to write later, “It is interesting to me that when we are living in times of struggle, lack and disappointment, the Bible points to one acceptable and appropriate response: SING!” [17]
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of the world will become strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace” sings.
Corporate praise brings the victory as it releases God's provision and pushes back the darkness. At one event, as Sean was corporately releasing worship, praise and prophetic proclamation in the atmosphere, he encouraged those who were struggling with the heaviness of the world on them to sing and praise. Sean noted that the breath of God was releasing life back into these broken people and they were literally 'coming alive.' He wrote, “Hope, dreams, life, faith, and fresh energy were restored as this sound went forth....” [18]
He goes on to write, “When we release this sound of life, faith, and hope from our mouths, we can actually prophesy ourselves, our families, cities, and nations into a new season of fullness and restoration! Is that not incredible to comprehend? What a beautiful truth of this new prophetic sound God is restoring on our lips!” [19]
“I wanna sing a song for You, I wanna sing a song” sings in the background.
In corporately praising God, we can 'build an altar' to Him where He is glorified that releases a 'fragrance' that is pleasing to Him as it burns. Sean Feucht writes that the sound of worship is the fragrance that releases the sound of life, hope, restoration and salvation. [20]
He goes onto note, “Worship prepares the way!” As God is lifted up on the altar of our hearts and we release declarations of praise, it changes the very atmosphere. He talks about an experience where worship shifted the climate from fear to love, sorrow to joy, and anxiety to peace. He writes, “The atmosphere of worship and prayer cultivated space for the kiss of Heaven to reach broken humanity. People were radically and immediately healed from disease, pain, and sickness!” [21]
He notes that the largest global harvest in history will come on the heals of praise and the sounds of love and adoration coming from his blazing bride. He refers to Psalm 67:5-7,
Sean writes about this movement, “This movement of the power of His Presence arising across the nations of the earth is far more than just a cool new religious or flashy form of godliness lacking true power. But we are literally coming together as the 'living stones' referred to in First Peter 2:5 to build a dwelling for the presence of God. It is not a new ritual, fad, or some slick structure. Our lovesick worship and pursuit is creating a hotbed for the raw presence of God as He is 'enthroned in the praises' of His people according to Psalm 22:3. From the establishment of His throne in our midst, genuine transformational power is made available to a broken humanity.” [23]
He goes on to note, “A dying world does not need our fancy buildings and programs. It needs to experience a life-altering encounter where people are marked by the glory of His Presence resting among them! As the world's citizens continue their quest to fill the ache in their hearts, we have the incredible privilege to host Him -the One who heals the heartaches -in our midst.” [24]
Sean speaks of corporate praise and worship not only only ushering in God's presence powerfully, but bringing forth true revival to the land. Sean speaks of a time where as God was lifted up, the Kingdom came to a Red Light District. In the most barren of streets, justice came pouring forth.[25]
“May Your wonders never cease” sings.
Lord, you amaze me! I do want to sing a song for You of praise. Teach us how to praise You in the midst of our difficulties and struggles. You are worthy of all praise. Too often we praise you with our lips but not enough with our hearts. As the clock was reading 3:33 as soon as I started pressing into this, I feel like it is something you have for your body in this season. Would you lift us to that place of genuine praise. May it be a pleasing fragrance to you. Let altars of praise, prayer and worship be built to you everywhere. We long to see your justice come forth on earth as it is in heaven.
1. Wiersbe, Warren W.: With the Word Bible Commentary. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1991, S. 2 Ch 20:1
2. Youngblood, Ronald F. ; Bruce, F. F. ; Harrison, R. K. ; Thomas Nelson Publishers: Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville : T. Nelson, 1995
3-14. Hayford, Jack W. ; Thomas Nelson Publishers: Hayford's Bible Handbook. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995
15-25. Feucht, Sean and Byrd, Andy. Fire & Fragrance: From The Great Commandment to The Great Commission. Destiny Image Publishers, Inc. Shippensburg, PA. 2010.
Tomorrow go down to them. Behold, they will come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the ravine before the Wilderness of Jeruel. You shall not need to fight in this battle; taek your positions, stand still, and see the deliverance of the Lord [Who is] with you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Fear not nor be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.
And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping Him. And some Levites of the Kohathites and Korahites stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.
And they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Here me, O Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God and you shall be established; believe and remain steadfast to His prophets and you shall prosper.
When he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers to sing to the Lord and praise Him in their holy [priestly] garments as they went out before the army, saying, Give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were [self-] slaughtered;
For [suspecting betrayal] the men of Ammon and Moab rose against those of Mount Seir, utterly destroying them. And when they had made an end of the men of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another. And when Judah came to the watchtower of the wilderness, they looked at the multitude, and behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none had escaped!” (2 Chronicles 20:14-24)
“In my life be lifted high, in my world be lifted high, in my love be lifted high”
In another battle [Judah at war with Israel] 2 Chronicles 13:15 says, “Then the men of Judah gave a shout; and as they shouted, God smote Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.”
“Your glory goes beyond all fame” sings in the background.
And a story that everyone is familiar with, in Joshua 6:1-21, “the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before the Lord and blew the trumpets, and the ark of the covenant of the Lord followed them.” On the seventh day they marched around the city seven times , and on the seventh time, Joshua proclaimed, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city.”
“Well above all my purpose remains the art of losing myself in giving you praise”
In Psalm 47, the sons of Korah proclaim, “O clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph and songs of joy! For the Lord Most High excites terror, awe, and dread; He is a great King over all the earth. He subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet. He chose our inheritance for us, the glory and pride of Jacob, whom He loves. Selah
God has ascended amid shouting, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises in a skillful psalm and with understanding.
God reigns over the nations; God sits upon His holy throne. The princes and nobles of the peoples are gathered together, a [united] people for the God of Abraham, for the shields of the earth belong to God; He is highly exalted.”
“Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, For our God Reigns!” sings
Commentary notes about the victory in 2 Chronicles 20, “Praise the Lord. The battle was won by the singers, standing in the most dangerous place of all—between two armies. But they sang the Lord’s praises and routed the enemy. The choir praised God after God gave the word (v. 19), before the battle (v. 21), and after the victory (vv. 26–28), a good pattern for us to follow in our praise.
In Hebrew, Berachah means “blessing” (v. 26). Even a valley can become a place of blessing if we learn how to praise the Lord. 'Prayer changes things' is a familiar saying that is certainly true. But it is also true that 'praise changes things.' Why? Because true praise changes people, and God can work in and through people who praise Him. True praise involves faith, hope, and love, the strongest weapons in the Christian armory.” [1]
David proclaims in 1 Chronicles 16:23, “Sing to the Lord, all the earth; show forth from day to day His salvation. Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples. For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; He also is to be [reverently] feared above all so-called gods. For all the gods of the people are [lifeless] idols, but the Lord made the heavens.
Honor and majesty are [found] in His presence; strength and joy are [round] in His sanctuary. Ascribe to the Lord, you families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength, Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name. Bring an offering and come before Him; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness and in holy array.
Tremble and reverently fear before Him, all the earth's peoples; the world also shall be established, so it cannot be moved. Let the heavens be glad and let the earth rejoice; and let men say among the nations, The Lord reigns! Let the sea roar, and all the things that fill it; let the fields rejoice, and all that is in them.
Then shall the trees of the wood sing out for joy before the Lord, for He comes to judge and govern the earth. O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving kindness endure forever!
“The time has come to stand for all we believe in, so I for one am gonna give my praise to You... in everything I do, Yeah, all the praise goes out to You.”
Paul says in Ephesians 5:19-20, “Speak out to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, offering praise with voices [and instruments] and making melody with all your heart to the Lord, at all times and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.”
“Let justice and praise become my embrace, to love you from the inside out” sings.
The Psalms are filled with praise for God. Praising God and singing to Him out of joy and thanksgiving are to be a regular part of our lives. Psalm 33:1-3 says, “Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous; for praise is becoming and appropriate for those who are upright. Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; sing praises to Him with the harp of ten strings. Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a loud and joyful sound."
Once commentary notes, “Our praise toward God is the means by which we express our joy to the Lord. We are to praise God both for who He is and for what He does (Ps. 150:2). Praising God for who He is is called adoration; praising Him for what He does is known as thanksgiving... The godly person will echo David’s words, “My praise shall be continually of You . . . And [I] will praise You yet more and more” (Ps. 71:6, 14).” [2]
The Hayfield Bible Handbook notes about praise, “Man was created to live and breathe in an atmosphere of praise-filled worship to His Creator. The avenue of sustained inflow of divine power was to be kept by the sustained outflow of joyous and humble praise to his Maker.... Such a walk of praise-filled openness to Him will cultivate deep devotion, faithful obedience, and constant joy.” [3]
According to this source, there are several important considerations in praise:
There is power in the unity of praise (2 Chr. 5:13). [4] 2 Chronicles 5:13-14 says, “And when the trumpeters and singers were joined in unison, making one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and other instruments for song and praised the Lord, saying, For He is good, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever, then the house of the Lord was filled with a cloud. So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.”
Praise births the victory (2 Chr. 20:15-22) [5] and causes ones enemies to be dispelled. Psalm 18:3 says, I will call upon the Lord, Who is to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.” As noted previously, some of the greatest victories in the bible came as a result of praise. It prepares the way for the Lord to accomplish His divine purposes.
David proclaims in Psalm 68:1-4 says, “God is [already] beginning to arise, and His enemies to scatter; let them also who hate Him flee before Him! As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish before the presence of God. But let the [uncompromisingly] righteous be glad; let them be in high spirits and glory before God, yes, let them [jubilantly] rejoice! Sing to God, sing praises to His name, cast up a highway for Him Who rides through the deserts -His name is the Lord -be in high spirits and glory before Him!”
And Psalm 66:1-5 proclaims, “Make a joyful noise unto God, all the earth; sing forth the honor and glory of His name; make His praise glorious! Say to God, How awesome and fearfully glorious are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power shall Your enemies submit themselves to You... All the earth shall bow down to You and sing [praises] to You; they shall praise Your name in song. Selah.
Praise pushes back the advancement of darkness (Ps. 7:14-17). As the Hayford Bible Handbook notes, praise is the answer when we are tempted by inequity or if someone sins against us. [7] In our praise, God will make a covering over us and defend us against our enemy.
Psalm 5:11 says, “But let all those who take refuge and put their trust in You rejoice; let them ever sing and shout for joy, because You make a covering over them and defend them; let those also who love Your name be joyful in You and be in high spirits.”
Praise turns our hearts toward God and turns us away from our sins and idolatry. Psalm 67:3 says, "Let the peoples praise You [turn away from their idols] and give thanks to You, O God..." Praise will “bring the glorious presence of Jesus, driving out the desire to identify with the sinful act/or thought... Praise draws our attention to who He is rather than the circumstances we are in.” [8]
Praise ushers into God’s presence (Ps. 22:3-4). Psalm 100:4 says, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise!” The Hayfield Bible Handbook writes, “Unquestionably, one of the most remarkable and exciting things about honest and sincere praise is taught here: Praise will bring the presence of God. Although God is everywhere present, there is a distinct manifestation of His rule, which enters the environment of praise.” [9]
Psalm 22:3 proclaims, “But thou dwellest in the holy place, the praise of Israel.”
“Show me your glory, send down Your glory, I want to see Your face” sings in the background.
Praise brings a deep sense of satisfaction [10] and contentment (Ps. 63:1-5). Psalm 63:3, 5 says, “Because Your loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. So will I bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My whole being shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips...”
Praise is not dependent upon our circumstances. Habakkuk proclaims in 3:16-17, "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour 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."
Praise is also an act of the will.[11] “It is not merely an exuberance overflowing with words, but a self-induced declaration of thanksgiving—a sacrifice. The praiser chooses to praise.”
Hebrews 13:15 says, “Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.”
Praise and thanksgiving is an offering we give to God. Psalm 50:23 says, “He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God."
Praise has power. It frees the people from bondage and opens the prison doors, setting all the captives free (Acts 16:25-26). The Hayfield Bible Handbook notes about this, “Study this example of the power of praise, even in difficult circumstances. Beaten and imprisoned, Paul and Silas respond by singing a hymn of praise—a song sung directly from the heart to God. The relationship between their song of praise and their supernatural deliverance through the earthquake cannot be overlooked. Praise directed toward God can shake open prison doors! A man was converted, his household saved, and satanic captivity overthrown in Philippi. Today, as well, praise will cause every chain of bondage to drop away. When you are serving God and things do not go the way you planned, learn from this text. Praise triumphs gloriously!” [12]
We are to teach our children to praise God. Psalm 145:4 says, “One generation shall laud Your works to another and shall declare Your mighty acts.” They Hayfield Bible Handbook notes, “We must not merely “suppose” that children will grow up and desire God. We must be careful. Whatever we possess of God’s blessing and revelation can be lost in one generation. We must consistently praise Him and we must also teach (by example, as well as by words), so our children and our children’s children will do the same.” [13]
Sean Feucht sings, “You are good, Your love it knows no end” in the background.[a]
Praise is similar to prophesy in that it proclaims the victory and points one to what God is doing rather than focusing on one's circumstances. The Psalms are filled with both praise and prophesy. They often proclaim the victory in light of difficult circumstances.
Psalm 22:19-22 says, “But be not far from me, O Lord; O my Help, hasten to aid me! Deliver my life from the sword... Save me from the lion's mouth... I will declare Your name to my brethren; in the midst of the congregation will I praise You.”
The Hayfield Bible Handbook writes, “Praise Releases the Spirit of Prophecy.... As we joyfully sing praise to our God, Christ comes to flood our minds with the glory of the Father’s character (“name”). There is no doubt about it—the praises of the people in the church service release the spirit of prophetic revelation—the magnifying of God through Jesus Christ. Thus, praise introduces edification, exhortation, and comfort to bless the whole body.”[14]
As we listen to the news and voices of the world, it prophesies fear and disaster at every turn. If we are not teaching our children to praise God, the world will teach our children to fear and worry.
Sean Feucht in his book, “Fire & Fragrance” notes, “many of us have allowed the voice of the liberal media and secular society to infiltrate our minds, homes, families and churches for too long. These worldly voices have been used to prophesy discouragement, strife, recession, fear, and panic while the Church was meant to set the tone with a clarion sound of life!” [15]
Sean writes, “Anyone who can read has plenty of reasons to be discouraged with sliding morals, demonic laws, and increasingly humanistic ideals celebrated worldwide. However, it takes a totally different kind of person, operating in a different perspective, bringing a different reality, to see all of this and yet live with a constant, confident hope that the Kingdom of God will not be stopped, and despite the headlines of the media, He is winning!” [16]
He goes on to write later, “It is interesting to me that when we are living in times of struggle, lack and disappointment, the Bible points to one acceptable and appropriate response: SING!” [17]
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of the world will become strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace” sings.
Corporate praise brings the victory as it releases God's provision and pushes back the darkness. At one event, as Sean was corporately releasing worship, praise and prophetic proclamation in the atmosphere, he encouraged those who were struggling with the heaviness of the world on them to sing and praise. Sean noted that the breath of God was releasing life back into these broken people and they were literally 'coming alive.' He wrote, “Hope, dreams, life, faith, and fresh energy were restored as this sound went forth....” [18]
He goes on to write, “When we release this sound of life, faith, and hope from our mouths, we can actually prophesy ourselves, our families, cities, and nations into a new season of fullness and restoration! Is that not incredible to comprehend? What a beautiful truth of this new prophetic sound God is restoring on our lips!” [19]
“I wanna sing a song for You, I wanna sing a song” sings in the background.
In corporately praising God, we can 'build an altar' to Him where He is glorified that releases a 'fragrance' that is pleasing to Him as it burns. Sean Feucht writes that the sound of worship is the fragrance that releases the sound of life, hope, restoration and salvation. [20]
He goes onto note, “Worship prepares the way!” As God is lifted up on the altar of our hearts and we release declarations of praise, it changes the very atmosphere. He talks about an experience where worship shifted the climate from fear to love, sorrow to joy, and anxiety to peace. He writes, “The atmosphere of worship and prayer cultivated space for the kiss of Heaven to reach broken humanity. People were radically and immediately healed from disease, pain, and sickness!” [21]
He notes that the largest global harvest in history will come on the heals of praise and the sounds of love and adoration coming from his blazing bride. He refers to Psalm 67:5-7,
“May the peoples praise You, O God; may all the peoples praise You. Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear Him.” [22]
Sean writes about this movement, “This movement of the power of His Presence arising across the nations of the earth is far more than just a cool new religious or flashy form of godliness lacking true power. But we are literally coming together as the 'living stones' referred to in First Peter 2:5 to build a dwelling for the presence of God. It is not a new ritual, fad, or some slick structure. Our lovesick worship and pursuit is creating a hotbed for the raw presence of God as He is 'enthroned in the praises' of His people according to Psalm 22:3. From the establishment of His throne in our midst, genuine transformational power is made available to a broken humanity.” [23]
He goes on to note, “A dying world does not need our fancy buildings and programs. It needs to experience a life-altering encounter where people are marked by the glory of His Presence resting among them! As the world's citizens continue their quest to fill the ache in their hearts, we have the incredible privilege to host Him -the One who heals the heartaches -in our midst.” [24]
Sean speaks of corporate praise and worship not only only ushering in God's presence powerfully, but bringing forth true revival to the land. Sean speaks of a time where as God was lifted up, the Kingdom came to a Red Light District. In the most barren of streets, justice came pouring forth.[25]
“May Your wonders never cease” sings.
Lord, you amaze me! I do want to sing a song for You of praise. Teach us how to praise You in the midst of our difficulties and struggles. You are worthy of all praise. Too often we praise you with our lips but not enough with our hearts. As the clock was reading 3:33 as soon as I started pressing into this, I feel like it is something you have for your body in this season. Would you lift us to that place of genuine praise. May it be a pleasing fragrance to you. Let altars of praise, prayer and worship be built to you everywhere. We long to see your justice come forth on earth as it is in heaven.
1. Wiersbe, Warren W.: With the Word Bible Commentary. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1991, S. 2 Ch 20:1
2. Youngblood, Ronald F. ; Bruce, F. F. ; Harrison, R. K. ; Thomas Nelson Publishers: Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary. Nashville : T. Nelson, 1995
3-14. Hayford, Jack W. ; Thomas Nelson Publishers: Hayford's Bible Handbook. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995
15-25. Feucht, Sean and Byrd, Andy. Fire & Fragrance: From The Great Commandment to The Great Commission. Destiny Image Publishers, Inc. Shippensburg, PA. 2010.
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