New: 8 February 2025
The Power of Praising
God Continually
Psalm 34
I will praise the LORD at all times.
I will constantly speak His praises.
The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescued them from all their troubles.
Psalm 34:1, 17 NLT
Turn your Pain into Praise!
Pain is real, but so is the power of praising God! We need to find the place of worship before God that turns our pain into praise. Some of the previous psalms have dealt with handling life's injustice, troubles and difficulties, and how God helps us even in the midst of our enemies. Although the theme of life's challenges is prevalent in the psalms, it is primarily book of prayer and praise, or, in other words, how prayer and praise can make the difference we need.
Like many other psalms, Psalm 34 also contains references to life's struggles, yet the emphasis is on the power of praise. The God who rescues us out of all our troubles (vv 6, 17), who delivers us from all our fears (v 4) and who saves us from all our afflictions (v 19), is the God we should praise at all times (v 1). We cannot be 'part-time believers' and victoriously fight against a 'full-time devil'! Having a lifestyle of continuous praise is a great way to live and see God's power at work to get us through the difficulties and afflictions of life. David wrote this psalm in the context of being hard pressed among a foreign people (see the original heading of the psalm). He was afraid and vulnerable (see 1 Samuel 21:10-15), yet God rescued him!
Start with Praise
Some psalms open with laments or even complaints; the psalmists bring their pain before God and pour out their hearts before Him. This is not wrong. Sometimes we need to off-load before we are able to receive strength to face another day. Scripture encourages us to pour out our hearts before God and that we should trust Him at all times (Psalm 62:8). Psalm 34 opens with praise! Starting with praise is a good way to start the day, approach a new challenge or face difficulties. Praising God is powerful as it shifts our focus away from us and our problems, unto Him who is powerful and helpful.
Praising God at all times (Psalm 34:1) doesn't mean we are never silent and sing aloud all day long. Music in itself carries great power, hence its popularity (for better or for worse). Praise to God is music and the interaction with Heaven. Having continuous praise on our lips speaks of having a heart of praise and keeping our trust in God. It is the humility of relying on God and to magnify and exalt His Name (vv 2-3). It is a heart that seeks the Lord, knowing He hears us with the hope that He will act (v 4). Turning to God, expecting help from Him makes one radiant and confident (v 5). We trust Him and He is an evert present help. No matter if we are rich and successful or poor and struggling, God hears those who have a heart to seek Him. And He saves us from all our troubles ( v 6). We are not immune of suffering, but we have a real God who intervenes. He even has angels encamping us (v 7). Those who fear God, revere Him as God and honour Him above all else will have divine protection (cf., Psalm 91).
O taste and see that the LORD is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints!
There is no want to those who fear Him.
Psalm 34:8-9
God's Goodness
Life can be painful and unfair; we can get offend and hurt, even bitter and resentful. Praise is the antidote to that poison in your soul and mind. Praise keeps you focused on God's goodness. It is unfortunately true that life can discourage us to believe in a good God. Sometimes life is just too overwhelming and we have more problems than we can count! But God knows. We must not number our problems; we must remember one word: 'all.' When we praise Him at all times, He comes and deals with all our fears, troubles and afflictions! The word 'all' implies 100 percent; all of it. Sounds too good to be true, right? I know. It's not that we haven't experienced God's goodness; it's that sometimes we get a prayer answered or something good that happens to us, only to find the next problem around the corner. We get up. but immediately something else is knocking us down. This is tough. But we must not allow a fear of 'the next bad thing' that can happen to intimidate us. We need to keep praising God and focus on His goodness. God doesn't just want us to 'see' His goodness, but also to 'taste' it, that is, to experience it (Psalm 34:8).
There is a blessing in trusting God (v 8b); there is provision when we honour and seek Him (vv 9-10). But to parsing God doesn't just mean singing songs; it means to be a praise unto Him. We do that by the way we live. We learn to live honourable before God (v 11). The benefits are good days (v 12). We keep our speech and hearts pure (v 13) and we seek peace and reject evil (v 14). You cannot seek and pursue peace while doing evil. We can do either or but not both. To live the right way you must also reject the wrong ways. The apostle Peter quoted some of the verses of Psalm 34 in his epistles (1 Peter 3:10-12) to show how believers are to live: compassion, love and forgiveness. This is the way to be blessed, for which we were called (vv 8-9). We are to do good at all times, even in suffering, as Christ did (vv 13-18). This is redemptive love!
God's eyes are on the righteous; His ear is open to their cry (Psalm 34:15). Doing evil will get you into trouble with (v 16). Praise is a lifestyle, a heart attitude, and expressed in songs and prayer. God hears the prayers of the righteous and believers them from all their troubles (v 17). He is near to the brokenhearted and saves the humble, afflicted and contrite (v 18). Although afflictions may be many at times, God delivers from all of them (v 19-20). God is righteous and will execute judgment on the wicked (v 21); everyone eventually gets what they deserve. Evil will even destroy itself, as one of the ancient philosophers noted. But God rescues His children, those who trust Him (v 22). Doing evil will lead to ruin; trust God will bring blessing. The power is in praising God continually, at all times.
Through Him [Jesus Christ] then,
let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.
And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices
God is pleased.
Hebrews 13:15-16 NASB
Praise & Good Works
In the New Testament, we find the same emphasis of continual praise to God (Hebrews 13:15). It is sacrifice, an offering to God. It is what we give to Him. The praise here is expressed in grateful lips for the glory of His Name! We are created by God and made to worship (Revelation 4:11). We should glorify God in all things (1 Corinthians 6:20) and everything we do (Colossians 3:17). True worship is to live as a living sacrifice for God's glory (Romans 12:2).
Interestingly, the writer of Hebrews not speaks of 'a sacrifice of praise to God' expressed with gratitude from our lips (Hebrews 13:15), he immediately speaks of what we do thereafter: doing good and sharing, and again in terms of 'sacrifices' that please God (v 16). We can infer here that there true praise is what we say and what we do. It's like two sides of the same coin. You cannot praise with the lips only and neglect good works in your life. God prepared 'good works' for you before you were even born (Ephesians 2:10). There is a divine purpose we must fulfil! Praise empower us to do good. Praising God with our lips yet having hearts far removed from Him is hypocrisy (Matthew 15:8-19; Isaiah 29:13). Be fully dedicated to, wholehearted in your worship and praise Him continually. There is power in praising God continually.