Praise God

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow,
Praise him, all creatures here below.
Praise him above, ye heavenly host, 
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen

These beautiful words of praise were written by Thomas Ken in 1674 and is commonly used in worship.  I remember standing next to my mother in church as a child singing these words, but not really considering what they mean. It was just another part of the service, but as an adult I have come to  appreciate this verse as more than mere words, but sweet refrains of worship and praise for our Father.   

Psalm 9:1 

I will praise you, O’ Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all of your marvelous works.

Psalm 79:13

So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture, will give You thanks forever; we will show forth Your praise to all generations.  

The Psalms written by King David are filled with prayers and songs of praise.  The Psalms are uplifting and inspirational.    

Many times however, when I am communing with God, I find that I am usually asking him for something, sometimes thanking him for something, but rarely praising him. In reality, praising God should always be the first thing on my list and not the last. To praise God is to honor and glorify him through our behaviors as well as with our words.

This started me thinking about what are some ways I can demonstrate my praise for God each day.  Here is what I came up with and will focus on going forward: 

• Acknowledge him to all for His beautiful creations and blessed works in each of us.
• Worship him through song, prayer, study and communion with others.
• Start each day with a grateful heart, giving thanks for the glorious dawn.
• Honor him by living each day according to his commandments.
• Walk through each day with hope, faith and joy.    
• Be happy, humble, forthright and gracious to all.
• Talk, but also do the walk. 

How do you praise God? 

I love this YouTube video of the common doxology of praise.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SHl_BmTqfk

Enjoy!  May God Bless You and give you peace. 

Praise be to God!