Beside Still Waters Ministries

These days praise and worship are lumped together like we know that they kinda go together and yet most people don’t really know what the differences are. Two weeks ago I talked about worship, and now we’ll think about praise. I know I’m getting a little bit of traffic, but no comments so far. If you stumble upon my little blog here, I’d love to hear from you and to know what you think and have a discussion together. If you have trouble leaving a comment because I don’t have something set right, please e-mail me here.

Dictionary definition of praise: to commend, to applaud, to express approval or admiration of, to extol in words or in song, to magnify, to glorify.

Bob Sorge, in his book Exploring Worship says that, “Praise is preoccupied with who God is and what he has done” (pg. 2). It can happen in to ways – directly to God and to others about God. Praise is an outward sign and extroverted in its nature, because it is characterized by celebration and exhilaration and can be expressed in many ways. Praise towards God doesn’t happen, though, if it is kept quiet and to yourself, it has to be shared – and with the proper exuberance it deserves!!!

Some Old Testament words that are translated “praise” are yadah (OT:3034) – a Hebrew word that means “to use, hold out, extend the hand, to revere/worship” and is also translated “confess” or “thanks”, and halal (OT:1984) – another Hebrew word that means “to be clear, to make a show, to boast, to rave, to celebrate”, think of Hallelujah which means “Praise The Lord!!”. New Testament words for praise are epaheenos (NT:1868) – a Greek word which means, “laudation, a commendable thing”, and humneo – another Greek word which means “to hymn, sing a religious ode, to celebrate in song” and it is used in Hebrews 2:12 which is quoting Psalm 22:22 that uses halal for “praise.”

Praise is a much easier word for us to get a grasp on than worship, because think about what do you do when your child gets a good grade, or an employee under you does their job well? You praise them! So think if it on a much grander scale to praise our awesome God because He at all times everywhere is worthy to be praised!!!

What, then, do you think are either the similarities or the differences between “worship” and “praise”? Do you think that there is a right or wrong way to praise or to worship?

Bob Sorge also says, “there is no such thing as “my way” of praising the Lord; there is only “God’s way,” and his way has been show to us clearly in the Scriptures.” (pg. 2-3), and then goes on to say, “he (God) wants us to praise him authentically and genuinely, incorporating the scriptural forms of praise as a willing sacrifice. Therefore, if lifting the hands is not “my way of praising God,” then we need to make it our way of praising!” (pg. 3). We act more enthusiastic and “crazy” when we cheer for our favorite football team (or, in my case, NASCAR driver, go Jeff Gordon!!) than in front of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!! Praise is about God, not about us.

Scripture: Exodus 15, Psalm 148 & 150, Luke 19:28-40

I challenge you this week to ask God to show you opportunities to praise Him more. It is easy to do it when things are going great and life is happy, but it is a choice to praise Him when things aren’t so great, and it will bless Him even more.

For further reading: Look up in a concordance (if you don’t have one in your Bible, or if you are interested in a more “exhaustive” concordance go to http://www.biblegateway.com and search for all of the times that the word “praise” is in the Bible, including reading the story/context.