The first question asked in the Westminster Shorter Catechism states, “What is the chief end of man?” The answer to that question is “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”
There are many ways in which we glorify God: obedience to God’s Word, walking in the Spirit, dying to self, loving others, surrendering one's life to His will and, of course, singing His praises! Romans 12:1 says, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” Our lives are to be an offering of praise and worship to our great God, who has showered us with His grace and mercy. When we contemplate what it means to “sing” His praises I am drawn to examples given in scripture that speak to this topic. In Job 38:7 “when the morning stars sang together
and all the sons of God shouted for joy” we see that the angels were praising God when He created the heavens and earth. Another familiar praise scene is found in Isaiah 6 where Isaiah gets a glimpse of angels praising God who is “sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up.” King David expresses his praise in 2 Samuel 6:14 - "he danced before the LORD with all his might" after Israel brought the ark of the covenant home to Jerusalem. Paul and Silas in the midst of a difficult situation In Acts 16:16-34, they are thrown in prison and begin singing hymns to God at midnight. One last example is Hannah, who after many years of infertility, praises the Lord for the birth of her son Samuel.
It is important for us to remember that praising God does not depend on our external circumstances or our inward feelings. We can and should offer our praise to God for who He is with a heart of thankfulness for what He’s done, is doing, and will do in the future. He alone is worthy of all our praise (Psalm 145:3).
One last thing to consider is that all the people mentioned above had one thing in common. They all enjoyed an intimate relationship with God. They didn’t just know about Him, they knew Him persoanlly: His character, His person, His wonderous works, His faithfulness, and His fulfilled promises in their lives. Out of this personal relationship with their creator came forth a life that never ceased to sing God’s praises! So, that begs the following question: do YOU know Him? Have YOU experienced His saving grace in YOUR life. Are the praises on your lips rooted in ritual or in relationship. He alone is worthy of all praise and worship.
Psalm 146:1-2 (ESV) - “Praise the Lord!Praise the Lord, O my soul!I will praise the Lord as long as I live;I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.”
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