Does God need my praise?
The Bible is very clear when it presents God as perfect and without any needs! Acts 17:24-25 says, “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.”
So why do we praise Him if He doesn’t need it? Doesn’t He have angels to worship Him?
God delights in the praise of His creation! Psalm 149:3-4 says, “Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp. For the LORD takes delight in his people…”
Praise helps us see and understand God in a deeper way! We take our eyes off of our circumstances and put them on the Creator of all things! Psalm 150:1-2 says, “Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.”
Praise puts the credit where it belongs. When we fail to praise, we often take the credit instead of giving that credit back to the true Source of all blessings. Ephesians 1:3 says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”
Jesus told us that the greatest purpose for our lives is in Matthew 22:37-38 (NIV) 37 … “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. When we love God with all of our being this causes us to worship, praise, rejoice, be thankful, and glorify. Each of these attributes has a different meaning but they are all closely related.
Worship is to acknowledge the presence of God. Praise is a response of worship. Thankfulness is a part of praise and a response to blessings given. To glorify is to bestow honor, praise, and admiration. Rejoicing is to have great delight and give praise.
Matthew 4:10, Jesus says, “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.” – Psalm 29:2 says, “Give unto the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.”
Justification of Praise
I Praise Because He is Great and greatly to be praised.
1 Chronicles 16:25
25 For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised;
He is also to be feared above all gods.
Psalm 145:3-4
3 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
And His greatness is unsearchable.
4 One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
Psalm 96:4
4 For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised;
He is to be feared above all gods.
2 Samuel 22:4
4 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.
Revelation 4:11
11 “You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created.”
Psalm 73
14 But I will hope continually,
And will praise You yet more and more.
15 My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness
And Your salvation all the day,
For I do not know their limits.
16 I will go in the strength of the Lord God;
I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.
Psalm 150
1 Praise 1the Lord!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
2 Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
3 Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp!
4 Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!
5 Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!
6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord!
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