In the book of Psalms alone, the word “praise” is proclaimed over 150 times. It is an attitude of gratitude, an exhibition of thanksgiving, a posture of adoration, a song of testimony, and a declaration of his doings. Our Scripture today will be found in Psalm 9:1,2. These verses begin the chapter with an attitude of gratitude: “I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvelous works. 2. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.”
There is nothing more beautiful nor more deserving than praise to the LORD. Four times in this chapter, David uses the word praise, which simply defined means: verbal thankfulness for God’s blessings. These praises (plural) are to be toward the LORD. He is the only one worthy of our spiritual praise. We often shower people with praise for all the great things they have done by telling all they have accomplished and all their many humanitarian deeds, and yet, fail to recognize and praise the LORD publicly for all his marvelous works.
It is good to praise the LORD in your private time, but sometimes it needs to be done among the people – publicly. Public praise sure goes against the grain of the flesh, the world, and the devil. They want our praise and proclamation of God’s doings to always be in private so that no one will feel uncomfortable, but the LORD, in Psalms 107:2 puts it like this: “let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy.” If the LORD has saved you, and delivered you from the grasp of the devil, you ought to tell it loud and clear and unashamedly. Notice that he ways in verse one, “I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart.” The praise that he gives us wholehearted; totally committed to shewing forth his gratitude to the LORD. All our praise should be wholehearted. Half-hearted praise is not praise at all; the LORD wants our whole heart. Now, let me insert right here that I am not talking about running up and down the streets, waving your arms and shouting, to be seen of men, but a real heart-feld gratitude and humbleness before God and men; not being ashamed to seize the opportunities we are given to witness to others the saving grace of the LORD Jesus Christ. When he says in verse one, “I will shew forth all thy wondrous works,” he has taken upon himself a monumental task. But there are many ways that he can identify in his own personal life, and then, those that he learned from his ancestors.
Verse 2 gives the benefit and means of praise: “I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to they name, O though most High.” Praise comes from a glad heart, which produces rejoicing, and is declared through singing and testimony. There is no true praise without gladness and rejoicing. Verse 11 speaks of that when it says, “Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion; declare among the people his doings.” Jesus said in Mark 16:15 “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” That is declaring among the people his doings.
To be continued.