PRAISE

Throughout the Bible, the commands to Praise the Lord

are too numerous to mention.

Dancing
Psalm 150:4
Praise him with the tambourine and dancing;
praise him with strings and flutes!
Musical Instruments
1 Chronicles 13:8
David and all Israel were celebrating before
God with all their might, singing songs and
playing all kinds of musical instruments
lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and
trumpets.
Psalm 108:2
Wake up, lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn
with my song.
Psalm 150:3-5
3
Praise him with a blast of the rams horn;
praise him with the lyre and harp!
4
Praise him with the tambourine and dancing;
praise him with strings and flutes!
5
Praise him with a clash of cymbals; praise
him with loud clanging cymbals.

Angels and the heavenly hosts are commanded to

praise the Lord.
Psalm 89:5
All heaven will praise your great wonders, Lord;
myriads of angels will praise you for your faithfulness.
Psalm 103:20
Praise the Lord, you angels, you mighty ones who carry
out his plans, listening for each of his commands.
Psalm 148:2
Praise him, all his angels! Praise him, all the armies of
heaven!
o

All inhabitants of the earth are instructed to praise the

Lord.
Psalm 138:4
Every king in all the earth will thank you, Lord, for all of
them will hear your words.
Romans 15:11
And yet again, Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles. Praise
him, all you people of the earth.
o

We can praise HIM with Singing, Shouting, Dancing

and Musical Instruments
Singing
Isaiah 12:5
Sing to the Lord, for he has done wonderful
things.
Make known his praise around the
world.
Psalm 9:11
Sing praises to the Lord who reigns in
Jerusalem.
Tell
the
world
about
his
unforgettable deeds.
Shouting
Psalm 98:4
Shout to the Lord, all the earth; break out in
praise and sing for joy!

Praise is the joyful recounting of all God has done for us.
o It is closely intertwined with thanksgiving as we offer
back to God appreciation for His mighty works on our
behalf.
o Praise is universal and can be applied to other
relationships as well.
We can praise our family, friends, boss or paperboy.
o Praise does not require anything of us.
o It is merely the truthful acknowledgement of the
righteous acts of another.
o Since God has done many wonderful deeds, He is
worthy of praise.
Psalm 18:3
I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he
saved me from my enemies.

In Scripture, praise is usually presented as boisterous,

joyful and uninhibited.
God invites praise of all kinds from His creation.
o Jesus said that if people dont praise God, even the
stones will cry out.
Luke 19:40
He replied, If they kept quiet, the stones along the
road would burst into cheers!
o

WORSHIP
o

Worship should be reserved for God alone.

Luke 4:8
Jesus replied, The Scriptures say, You must worship
the Lord your God and serve only him.
Worship is the art of losing self in the adoration of another.
Praise can be a part of worship, but worship goes
beyond praise.
Praise is easy; worship is not.
Worship gets to the heart of who we are.
To truly worship God, we must let go of our self-worship.
We must be willing to humble ourselves before God.
Surrender every part of our lives to His control. Adore
Him for who He is, not just what He has done.
Worship is a lifestyle, not just an occasional activity.
Jesus said the Father is seeking those who will worship Him
in spirit and in truth.
John 4:23
But the time is comingindeed its here nowwhen
true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in
truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship
him that way.
We read verses like
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness (Psalm 96:9)
Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor.
Let all the earth tremble before him.
Come let us worship and bow down (Psalm 95:6)
Come, let us worship and bow down.
Let us kneel before the Lord our maker

Often, worship is coupled with the act of bowing or

kneeling which shows humility and contrition.
It is through true worship that we invite the Holy Spirit
to speak to us, convict us, and comfort us.
Through worship, we realign our priorities with God and
acknowledge Him once more as the rightful Lord of our
lives.
Worship is intertwined with surrender.
It is impossible to worship God and anything else
at the same time.
Luke 4:8
Jesus replied, The Scriptures say, You must worship
the Lord your God and serve only him.
Matthew 6:24
No one can serve two masters. For you will hate
one and love the other; you will be devoted to one
and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be
enslaved to money.
The physical acts often associated with worship
bowing, kneeling, lifting hands help to create
the necessary attitude of humility required for
real worship.
Worship is an attitude of the heart.

CONCLUSION
God sees the heart and He desires and deserves
sincere, heartfelt praise and worship.

3. SHABACH (shaw-bakh') (Heb.) to shout, to address in

a loud tone, to command, to triumph
4. BARAK (baw-rak') (Heb.) to kneel down, to bless God
as an act of adoration
5. ZAMAR (zaw-mar') (Heb.) to pluck the strings of an
instruments, to sing, to praise
A musical word which is largely involved with
joyful expressions of music with musical
instruments.

WORSHIP
(Greek/Hebrew Word)
1. SEBOMAI (seb'-om-ahee) (Gr.) to revere, adore, devout,
religious, worship
2. PROSKUNEO (pros-koo-neh'-o) (Gr.) to prune, to
worship, to prostrate oneself in worship, to reverence,
to adore, to kiss like a dog licking his maters hand
3. SHACHAH (shaw-khaw') (Heb.)to bow down,
prostrate oneself, fall down flat
4. LATREUO (lat-ryoo'-o) (Gr.) service sometimes worship
(It has its own interest.)
5. SAGAD (saw-gad') (Heb.) to prostrate oneself (in
worship), bow down, fall down

PRAISE
(Hebrew Word)
1. YADAH (yaw-daw') (Heb.) the extended hand, to throw
out the hand, therefore to worship with hands extended
2. HALAL (haw-lal) (Heb.) to be clear, to shine, to
boast, show, to rave, celebrate, to be clamorously
foolish
The word Hallelujah comes from this base word
and is a primary root word for praise in the
Hebrew language.

SPIRITUAL SACRIFICES
A. Living Sacrifice
Romans 12:1
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to
give your bodies to God because of all he has done
for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrificethe
kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to
worship him.
B. The Sacrifice of Faith (Meal Offering)
Philippians 2:17
But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out
like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful
service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to
share that joy.
C. The Sacrifice of Praise
Hebrews 13:15
Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual
sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance
to his name.
D. The Sacrifice of Doing Good
Hebrews 13:16
And dont forget to do good and to share with those
in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.
Romans 12:13
When Gods people are in need, be ready to help
them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
James 1:27
Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the
Father means caring for orphans and widows in

their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt

you.
E. The Sacrifice of Material Assistance
Philippians 4:18
At the moment I have all I needand more! I am
generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with
Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice
that is acceptable and pleasing to God.
F. Spreading the Word of God
Romans 15:16
I am a special messenger from Christ Jesus to you
Gentiles. I bring you the Good News so that I might
present you as an acceptable offering to God, made
holy by the Holy Spirit.

And you will know the truth, and the truth will set
you free.
1 Timothy 2:4
who wants everyone to be saved and to understand
the truth.
Romans 1:18
But God shows his anger from heaven against all
sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their
wickedness.
John 16:2-3
2
For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and
the time is coming when those who kill you will think
they are doing a holy service for God.
3
This is because they have never known the Father
or me.

1. Worshipping GOD with My Mind

o

o
o

Knowing information about God is different from actually

knowing Him through that information.
John 5:39-40
39
You search the Scriptures because you think they
give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!
40
Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.
But if we love God well want to know Him better.
As Christians, God calls us not only to love Him but to
love the truth about Him.
2 Thessalonians 2:10
He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those
on their way to destruction, because they refuse to
love and accept the truth that would save them.
John 17:3
And this is the way to have eternal lifeto know you,
the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent
to earth.
John 14:6
Jesus told him, I am the way, the truth, and the life.
No one can come to the Father except through me.
John 8:32

2.

John 17:17
Make them holy by your truth; teach them your
word, which is truth.
Thats why worshipping God must engage our minds
and understanding.

Worshipping GOD with My Soul

o

o
o

Scriptures says we are to pour out our souls to GOD.

Psalm 42:4
My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to
be: I walked among the crowds of worshipers,
leading a great procession to the house of God,
singing for joy and giving thanks amid the sound of a
great celebration!
Lift up our souls to Him.
Psalm 25:1
O Lord, I give my life to you.
Love Him with our soul.
Deuteronomy 6:5
And you must love the Lord your God with all your
heart, all your soul, and all your strength.

o
o

Boast in Him with our souls.

Psalm 34:2
I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless
take heart.
Its one thing to know and declare true things about
God.
James 2:19
You say you have faith, for you believe that there is
one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe
this, and they tremble in terror.
But God intends for us to cherish and treasure the truth
about Him because we cherish and treasure Him.
Psalm 37:4
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your
hearts desires.
1 Peter 1:8
You love him even though you have never seen him.
Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and
you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.
Ephesians 5:19
Singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs
among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in
your hearts
God takes no pleasure in worship that isnt connected to
the heart. Matthew 15:8-9
8
These people honor me with their lips, but their
hearts are far from me.
9
Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made
ideas as commands from God.
What should we do when whats in our souls isnt lining
up with what we know?
Where feelings for God are dead, worship of God is
dead.

3. Worshipping GOD with My Body

o

The Biblical Evidence for Physical Expression

o
o
o

Scripture Language
Scriptural Example
Scriptural Commands
These commands and examples cover both exuberant
and subdued responses, celebrative and reverent.
Our bodies can be used to communicate a variety of
emotions, from joy to lament.
Do our minds, hearts and bodies reflect the overall
biblical model on how we are to respond to the
greatness and goodness of God?

The Benefits of Physical Expression

We magnify the glory of God.
Psalm 108:1-2
1
My heart is confident in you, O God; no wonder I
can sing your praises with all my heart!
2
Wake up, lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn
with my song.
We follow the scriptural example.
We encourage others.
We can encourage our own hearts.
The Limitations of Physical Expression
Physical expression doesnt insure that worship is
taking place in the heart.
Matthew 15:8-9
8
These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
9
Their worship is a farce,
for they teach man-made ideas as commands
from God.
Physical expressions can be self-deceiving.
Amos 5:23-24

23

Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not

listen to the music of your harps.
24
Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice,
an endless river of righteous living.
Physical expressiveness can be self-glorifying and
self-gratifying.
1 Corinthians 12:7
A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can
help each other.
1 Corinthians 14:12
And the same is true for you. Since you are so
eager to have the special abilities the Spirit gives,
seek those that will strengthen the whole church.

The Hindrances to Physical Expression

Lack of clear biblical instruction.
Fear of man.
Tradition or culture.
Concern for others.
Theological concerns.

A. What does it mean to give a sacrifice of praise?

Hebrews 13:15
Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual
sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to
his name.
SACRIFICE
An act of Giving Up something valued for the Sake of
An act of Surrendering a possession as an offering to
God.
Offering something at great cost to ourselves.

CONCLUSION
Our bodily expressions should draw peoples attention
to the reality, greatness and goodness of the God we
worship.
It will look different at different times, in different
churches and in different cultures. But there is no question
that we have to help those in our congregations understand
that God is worthy of our deepest, strongest and purest
affections. And that to bring Him glory with our minds,
souls and bodies is the very reason we were created.

PRAISE
Sounds joyful as it bubbles from a grateful heart.
To express thanks to or love and respect for God.
Act of expression.
B.

SACRIFICE OF PRAISE
o
o

The terms sacrifice and praise might seem to be

opposites.
We think of sacrifice as offering something at great
cost to ourselves.

o
o
o
o

Praise, on the other hand, sounds joyful as it bubbles

from a grateful heart.
However, in the spiritual realm, SACRIFICE and PRAISE
are intertwined.
It takes an act of the will to lay our all on the altar
before a God we dont understand.
When we bring a sacrifice of praise, we choose to
believe that, even though life is not going as we think it
should, God is still good and can be trusted.
Psalm 135:3
Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; celebrate his
lovely name with music.
Nahum 1:7
The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble
comes. He is close to those who trust in him.
When we choose to praise God in spite of the storms, He
is honored, and our faith grows deeper.
Malachi 3:13-17
13
You have said terrible things about me, says the
Lord. But you say, What do you mean? What have
we said against you?
14
You have said, Whats the use of serving God?
What have we gained by obeying his commands or
by trying to show the Lord of Heavens Armies that
we are sorry for our sins?
15
From now on we will call the arrogant blessed. For
those who do evil get rich, and those who dare God
to punish them suffer no harm.
16
Then those who feared the Lord spoke with each
other, and the Lord listened to what they said. In his
presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to
record the names of those who feared him and
always thought about the honor of his name.
17
They will be my people, says the Lord of
Heavens Armies. On the day when I act in
judgment, they will be my own special treasure. I will
spare them as a father spares an obedient child.
Job 13:15

o
o

God might kill me, but I have no other hope. I am

going to argue my case with him.
The command in Hebrews 13:15 says that this
sacrifice is to be offered continually.
Our praise to God is not to be based on our
opinion of His job performance.
Praise cannot be treated as a reward we give
God for His obvious blessings.
Isaiah 29:13
And so the Lord says, These people say they
are mine.
They honor me with their lips, but their hearts
are far from me. And their worship of me is
nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.
Real praise continues regardless of
circumstances. It flows continually from a
worshiping heart in good times and bad times.
Acts 16:23-25
23
They were severely beaten, and then they
were thrown into prison. The jailer was
ordered to make sure they didnt escape.
24
So the jailer put them into the inner
dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.
25
Around midnight Paul and Silas were
praying and singing hymns to God, and the
other prisoners were listening.
The sacrifice of praise comes from a humble heart
that has been purified by fire.
It rises from a spirit that has chosen to honor God in
spite of the pain that life is causing.
Psalm 51:16-17
16
You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
You do not want a burnt offering.
17
The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will
not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

C. Bible Characters who offered Sacrifice of Praise in

difficult situation.

1. Paul and Silas

Acts 16:25
Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and
singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were
listening.
2. Jonah
Jonah 2:9
But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise,
and I will fulfill all my vows. For my salvation comes
from the Lord alone.
3. King Jehoshaphat
2 Chronicles 20:2-18
2
Messengers came and told Jehoshaphat, A vast
army from Edom is marching against you from
beyond the Dead Sea. They are already at Hazazontamar. (This was another name for En-gedi.)
3
Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged
the Lord for guidance. He also ordered everyone in
Judah to begin fasting.
4
So people from all the towns of Judah came to
Jerusalem to seek the Lords help.
5
Jehoshaphat stood before the community of Judah
and Jerusalem in front of the new courtyard at the
Temple of the Lord.
6
He prayed, O Lord, God of our ancestors, you
alone are the God who is in heaven. You are ruler of
all the kingdoms of the earth. You are powerful and
mighty; no one can stand against you!
7
O our God, did you not drive out those who lived in
this land when your people Israel arrived? And did
you not give this land forever to the descendants of
your friend Abraham?
8
Your people settled here and built this Temple to
honor your name.
9
They said, Whenever we are faced with any
calamity such as war, plague, or famine, we can

come to stand in your presence before this Temple

where your name is honored. We can cry out to you
to save us, and you will hear us and rescue us.
10
And now see what the armies of Ammon, Moab,
and Mount Seir are doing. You would not let our
ancestors invade those nations when Israel left
Egypt, so they went around them and did not
destroy them.
11
Now see how they reward us! For they have come
to throw us out of your land, which you gave us as
an inheritance.
12
O our God, wont you stop them? We are
powerless against this mighty army that is about to
attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are
looking to you for help.
13
As all the men of Judah stood before the Lord with
their little ones, wives, and children,
14
the Spirit of the Lord came upon one of the men
standing there. His name was Jahaziel son of
Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of
Mattaniah, a Levite who was a descendant of Asaph.
15
He said, Listen, all you people of Judah and
Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the
Lord says: Do not be afraid! Dont be discouraged by
this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but
Gods.
16
Tomorrow, march out against them. You will find
them coming up through the ascent of Ziz at the end
of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel.
17
But you will not even need to fight. Take your
positions; then stand still and watch the Lords
victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and
Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out
against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!
18
Then King Jehoshaphat bowed low with his face to
the ground. And all the people of Judah and
Jerusalem did the same, worshiping the Lord.

19

Then the Levites from the clans of Kohath and

Korah stood to praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
with a very loud shout.