Psalm 119:171: “My lips will pour forth praise, for you teach me your statutes.”
Ladies, what does it mean to “praise the Lord”? This phrase, so fundamental to Christian worship, has almost become a slogan: PTL! <insert raised hands emoji here>. But how do we do it?
Praise is modeled for us in the Psalms, especially the last five psalms (145-150). So if your fountain of praise is stopped up – if your lips do not naturally bubble forth in worship – these psalms are a good place to start. In them, David extols, blesses, praises, commends, declares, meditates, speaks, and sings of God’s greatness. God’s name is great, his works are great, his majesty is great, his mercy is great, his power is great, the glory of his kingdom is great (Psalm 145:1-13). And yet God cares deeply for his people. Even though God is the great creator, he helps the oppressed, the hungry, the prisoners, the wanderers, orphans, and widows (Psalm 146). God names the stars and heals the brokenhearted – both actions are completely consistent with his nature. (Psalm 147:3-4).
When we praise, we join all creation in harmony. The hosts of heaven, angels and stars, praise God (Psalm 148:2-3). So too “fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word!” (Psalm 148:8). The plant and animal kingdoms are called to worship, along with all people: rulers, subjects, men, women, children, and the aged (Psalm 148:9-12). And, of course, God’s people have the greatest reason to “exult in glory” and “sing for joy on their beds,” because the Lord will save us (Psalm 149).
Praise is also intertwined with music and instrumentation. We are called to praise with trumpet, harp, tambourine, strings, pipe, and even with “loud clashing cymbals”! (Psalm 150). Even if you are not musical, you can still use your breath and your body to worship to the best of your ability.
I think it is interesting how our psalmist ends his great composition, Psalm 119 — not with praise, but with a declaration of future praise. He doesn’t say that his lips pour forth praise, he says his lips “will” pour forth praise. If you look closely, the psalmist is in something of a slump. He begs God to hear his prayer, cries for understanding, pleads for deliverance. It’s not that he has forgotten God’s commands, but he has strayed and needs God to seek him (Psalm 119:169-176).
This is the reality. God commands our praise, indeed, the praise of all creation. But we can’t get to that exalted place on our own. God must find us, teach us, and raise us up. In faith, we trust that he will do those things. And in faith, we declare we will live to praise him.
stirfrylaura 