Why We Should Praise God With Understanding

"Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding." (Psalm 47: 6 - 7).

It is a common knowledge that we are to appreciate every good done to us especially God who has done all things well for us. But in appreciating or praising God we are required to do it with understanding. Until we praise God with understanding we may never do it nor will it bring us blessings from God.

The psalmist said, we should sing praises with understanding. In other words, our praises should be guided with good understanding if at all it must ascend to the throne of God and must be pleasant unto His hearing. It is the understanding that differentiates whether we are really praising Him or making noise.

WHAT TO UNDERSTAND

If we are required to praise God with understanding, it is therefore important to know what God wants us to base our praising Him upon. This understanding will guide us in bringing quality praise to God anytime and anywhere.

1. Know That God Is Your Creator

The Scripture said "Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture." (Psalm 100: 2 - 3).

The first understanding that must guide your praise is the fact that God is your creator. We are to praise Him first and foremost for creating us. This understanding helps you to recognize your source of existence, knowing that you are not a product of evolution but a masterpiece of God the creator. He took time to create and fashion you just the way you in revealing His glory.

2. Know That God Is Holy

"Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the LORD our God is holy." (Psalm 99: 9).
The second sacred truth in praising God is that God is holy. This understanding should create in us the sense of repentance and holy conscious in approaching before God. That we are required to praise God does not mean we should praise Him in sin. Although God loves sinners, He does not anyway tolerate sin. For this reason we are admonished to "worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth." (Psalm 96: 9).

Until our praise is in the beauty of His holiness, it will not become a sweet smelling savour. Let you praise be guided with that understanding that God is holy and you are to praise Him in the beauty of holiness not with a heart of sin.

3. Know That You Are Made From Dust

God's Word said "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." (Genesis 2: 7).

Beloved, God carefully made us from the dust of the ground. This should also guide us in praising Him knowing the fact that it is His breath that is keeping us alive. Outside His breathe we are but mere dead people.

This knowledge should create in us the sense of humility in our worship of God knowing fully well that He knows our frame. David said "For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust." (Psalm 103: 14).

Most times, pride has made us forget how we were made. No matter what we have or look today, we are the product of dust and breathe of God. This should humble us in giving praise to God. For this reason the Scripture says "Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD." (Psalm 150: 6)

4. Know That God Has Not Dealt With You According To Your Sin

This is very important to understand in giving quality praise to God. Most times the way we jump and shout in church make us forget that we have not wrong God in any sort. But hidden beneath those jumping and shouting are lies, fornications, covetousness and many other sins.

But praise God for His mercies! He has not dealt with us according to what our sins deserve. If He has done, it will be very clear that nearly none of us would survive His judgment.

The Scripture say "He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities." (Psalm 103: 10). We must praise God with the understanding that He has not deal with us according to our sins but through His forgiveness.

The only reason we have boldness to approach God is because He has cleansed us from all unrighteousness. If not out jumping, shouting and singing will remain irritating odour before His nostrils.

Praise God with the understanding that His mercies have covered your sins, weaknesses and shortcomings.

5. Know That God Is Watching Over You

With this understanding we should praise God knowing that He is watching over us to protect and keep us away from the plans of the enemies. If it had not been the Lord on our side, the enemy would have swallowed us up quick.

"Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand." (Psalm 121: 4 - 5)

Beloved, you are alive because God is keeping you. You may have taken some drug to enable you sleep; there is no drug to wake you up. That you woke up means God has preserved you. The Scripture say "I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me." (Psalm 3: 5).

6. Know That God Is The Source Of Your Resource

It is important to know that we brought nothing into this world neither are we going to take anything from it. Naked we came and so we shall depart. This means all that we have came to us. And God is the source of all that we have.

For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? (1 Corinthians 4: 7).
We must approach God in praise knowing that God is the source of all that we have. This should create an attitude of humility in us owing to the fact that God has provided for all we have today.
"A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven." (John 3: 27).
If you have received anything, it is because God approved and brought it your way. Praise God in this understanding.

7. Know That God Has Fully Paid For Your Redemption

If you are not redeemed, all jumping, singing and shouting in the name of praising God are all in vain. Your praise will only be truly meaningful in the light of the redemption of your soul. And graciously God has paid for your redemption.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3: 16)
Jesus is our redemption. And if you have received Christ, hallelujah, praise God with the understanding that you are saved and that you have a place in eternity.

God bless you. Please make out time this month to praise God with this understanding.

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