PRAISE – THE HIGHEST FORM OF WORSHIP

“I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; for You have magnified Your word above all Your name.”
Psalm 138:2

Sometimes, people try to draw a line between praise and worship, thinking they’re completely different, but here’s the truth: praise is worship. Praise is one of the things you do when you worship God. In fact, it’s the highest part of worship. The simple difference between them is that worship includes other things you do for the Lord. For example, your service to God is an act of worship.

Once you clearly understand praise as the highest part of worship, you’ll realise how important it is in your relationship with God. The Bible says, “You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).

The Church is this holy priesthood assigned to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God, and there are different kinds of sacrifices. An example is when you give up something valuable for God or volunteer your time through missionary activities. But the highest sacrifices are the sacrifices of praise.

The Bible says, “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name” (Hebrews 13:15). Notice that it says we’re to offer our sacrifice of praise to God continually, not just once in a while. This shows just how important it is. Paul describes it as the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His Name.

David made a similar reference in Psalm 69:30-31. He said, “I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bull, which has horns and hooves.” Did you see that? He said, “I will magnify him with thanksgiving.” The next verse lets us know that carrying out this act of praise to God is a massive testimony; it says, “The humble shall see this and be glad…” (Psalm 69:32). Right this moment, give thanks to the Lord. Praise Him lavishly from your heart; think of something you want to thank Him for, and then go ahead to praise Him profusely.