It Is Good To Praise

“It Is Good To Praise”

Psalm 92:1-4

David P. Nolte

When we use the word “good” we might mean one of four things.

“Good” might mean “fortunate or favorable.” For instance, if your car has a flat tire, you may say, “It’s a good thing we have a spare tire!”

“Good” might refer to something pleasant or enjoyable, as “We had a good time at the coast.”

“Good” can pertain to morals or behavior or ethics. For example, “It is not good to ignore God’s commandments.”

“Good” may mean “quality” as in, “The Cowboys are playing mighty good football this season!”

The Psalm says, “Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is pleasant and praise is becoming.” Psalm 147:1 (NASB).

Another declares, “It is good to give thanks to the LORD And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning And Your faithfulness by night, With the ten-stringed lute and with the harp, With resounding music upon the lyre. For You, O LORD, have made me glad by what You have done, I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands.” Psalm 92:1-4 (NASB).

It is good to sing praises to the Lord! And when we say, “It is good to praise.” all four meanings of “good” apply! It is good to praise because:

I. PRAISE ENTHRONES GOD:

A. David wrote, “Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.” Psalm 22:3 (NASB).

1. When we praise God we make our heart a throne room.

2. Praise exalts God to His rightful place in our lives.

B. Not only does it recognize and honor His sovereignty but it opens our lives to these promises:

1. “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16 (NASB). Those who praise Him have access to that throne.

2. “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:7-8 (NASB).

3. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20 (NASB).

C. You see, God is never far from those who come to His throne, who draw near to Him, who open their lives to Him: and we do that by praise!

1. An elderly man and his wife were driving down the road and she was seated close to the passenger door. Suddenly she looked at him and said “Why don’t we sit close together like we did when we were young people?” He said, “It wasn’t me that moved!” If God does not seem as close as He once did, guess who moved!

2. To stay close to God, Praise and enthrone Him. Where He reigns He is near!

3. As sun enters when the curtains are open and as water flows through an open tap; so God enters the life that enthrones Him by praise!

D. In England, there is an ancient nautical map dating back to the time of King Henry IV.

On it, the map makers wrote these words over the Atlantic Ocean: “Here be dragons; Here be demons; Here be danger.” And based on those superstitious warnings, sailors were afraid of sailing there. But there was an English navigator named John Franklin who was a mighty man of God.

He took that same map and crossed out those fearful words and added these three words: “HERE BE GOD!”

E. If you are a servant of God, you need to know that as you sail toward your most severe sea, if God reigns in your life as Lord, you are safe.

It is good to praise because it enthrones God, and it is good to praise because:

II. PRAISE BEAUTIFIES US:

A. “Sing for joy in the LORD, O you righteous ones; Praise is becoming to the upright.” Psalm 33:1 (NASB).

1. Most of the time when we think of beauty it is that which meets the eyes.

a. How a person is dressed.

b. How a person’s hair is fixed.

c. What kind of jewelry they are wearing.

d. The cosmetics they have shoveled on.