“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.
e. Being sure there is no spinach between the teeth, odor from the arm pits, or smudge on the face.
2. People use all sorts of stuff to make themselves look better: cosmetics, plastic surgery, anti-wrinkle creams, different kinds of greasy goop, and for some the only beauty aid is to put a paper bag over their head.
B. But the only beauty that matters and lasts is inner beauty created by praise.
1. Peter wrote, “Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God.” 1 Peter 3:3-4 (NASB).
2. You could take a pig, bathe it, paint its hooves, put a pink tutu on it, smear on lipstick and pin a hat on its head. But if you take it to your home and sit it at the dinner table – glam and all it is still a pig!
3. Real beauty is internal but with an external manifestation!
a. As the old chorus declares, “He’ll put a light in your eye, a smile on your lips and a bubble of joy in your heart. He gives complete peace of mind that you cannot find, and a happiness that never will depart. For if you love Him, and really praise Him, He’ll put a light in your eye, a smile on your lips and a bubble of joy in your heart.”
b. Grouching darkens countenance; hardens voice; sours personality like vinegar in milk; it is spiritual halitosis, and that is just uuggleeee and repellant!
4. Positive, praising people are attractive and comely!
C. You just can’t stay angry, or mean spirited, or selfish or self-pitying, or arrogant, or any other uglifier if you praise – because praise is beautiful.
D. In Disney’s, “Beauty and the Beast,” an arrogant young prince and his castle’s servants fall under the spell of a wicked enchantress, who turns him into the hideous Beast until he learns to love and be loved in return. He captured a trespasser and put him in a cell. The man’s daughter, Belle, finds out where he is and enters the Beast’s castle and secures his release by being imprisoned herself. In the closing scenes the Beast lies dying from a wound inflicted during combat with Gaston his enemy. Belle, now having grown to love the Beast, confesses her love and just in time gives him the kiss that breaks the curse. The beast is transformed back into a handsome prince and they live happily ever after.
E. Beauty brought love to the Beast. Love brought Beauty to the Beast. Just so, our praise transforms us into something beautiful.
Praise is good because it beautifies us, and:
III. PRAISE REFRESHES US:
A. In contrast to the grim fate of God haters, Asaph wrote in the Psalm, “But I will ever be full of joy, making songs of praise to the God of Jacob.” Psalm 75:9 (BBE).
B. Our attitude has much to do with the weariness, tedium and drudgery of the day!
1. A negative mind set picks up on the negative, the blahs and downers and so we grow weary.
2. A Positive mind set focuses on the positive and we are refreshed!
C. We can approach the day: “Oh, no! Another day!” or “This is the day which the Lord has made; we will be full of joy and delight in it.” Psalm 118:24 (BBE). Praise refreshes us!
D. Listen to Melody Green’s testimony after the death of her husband, Keith, in a plane crash. Two of their children also died in the crash. Her praiseful attitude refreshed her spirit. “Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I wanted to take a little space in this newsletter to share a few things with you that are on my heart. First of all, I want to thank each and every one of you for your support during these last several weeks. I am speaking for Janet (our pilot’s wife) too, when I tell you that you have been tremendous blessing to us. Receiving your gifts, letters, and notes of encouragement and hearing of your many, many prayers have let us know that you really care, and has meant more than I could ever put into words. Many of you have asked how I’m doing, so I wanted to let you know that God has been graciously sustaining me to this time. It is not easy by any means, without God, would literally be impossible. The mother/wife part of me has been overwhelmed by personal loss. But God in his infinite mercy has been bringing me through it one day at a time.”
E. So, it is not circumstances, comforts, having our own way, or a life devoid of struggles that refreshes; it is a life in tune with God.
Trade in the garment of heaviness and despair for the garment of praise as you give Him first and best place in your life.
So, because it is good to praise, to sing alleluia to the Lord, let our lips and lives glorify Him. Let us exalt Him. We can sing it, shout it, and raise our hands, but let’s not leave out living for Him, serving Him; and exalting Him to the place of total authority in our lives.
To exalt Him means to elevate Him; to put Him above us; to bow before Him. Lord means that He is the one with absolute and final authority in our lives.
So all together let us exalt Him in our lives – that is the true praise that Enthrones Him. That Beautifies us, and that Refreshes our spirit.
