Praising the Lord

Praising the Lord should be a genuine expression stemming from the heart of every Christian. There are so many blessings for which we should be thankful. From God’s mercy and grace, to His loving kindness and justness, to His eternal plan for the salvation of man, we have so much for which to be grateful.

Consider for a moment Paul’s letter to the church in Rome. The apostle Paul, in reference to the salvation of the Gentiles, wrote the following: “9 . . . and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, ‘Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.’ 10 And again it is said, ‘Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.’ 11 And again, ‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.’ 12 And again Isaiah says, ‘The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.’ 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (Romans 15:9-13, ESV). Let us consider some key phrases in this text. In v. 9, Paul refers to the Gentiles glorifying God for His mercy. We see the words “praise you” and “sing to your name.” In v. 10, we see a reference calling the Gentiles to “rejoice” with God’s people. In v. 11, we see a call to “praise the Lord” and to “extol Him.” In v. 12 and 13, we see a reference to the “hope” found in the root of Jesse, which is the Christ.

As children of God, we are thankful for all our heavenly Father has done for us. This thanksgiving should fill our hearts and be expressed through our thoughts, spoken words, songs of praise, as well as prayers of thanksgiving. The next time we go to God in prayer, let us consider what He has done for us. While we are thankful for our many physical blessings, we know they will one day go the way of the world, leaving us with our “treasures in heaven.” Let us make the time every day to praise the Lord for all that He has done, thanking Him for the salvation of our souls.

— John M. Duvall