Praise: Talk to God About His Greatness, Part 1 of 2. Psalm 22:3.

Praise is an essential part of your prayer life. Praise has so many benefits!

1. Praise leads to blessings. “Let the people praise thee, O God. Let all the people praise thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase, and God, even God, shall bless us” Psalm 67:5-6.
2. Praise improves your countenance (it makes you more attractive!). “Praise is comely for the upright” Psalm 33:1. (There are actually a number of verses about this.)  
3. Praise can ease mental health struggles. If you worry, praise will help. If you are angry, praise will help. If you feel betrayed, praise will help. If you are paranoid, praise will help. If you are lonely, praise will help. How? Speaking strictly on a human level, praise takes your focus off of yourself and your problems and puts it on God.
4. Praise draws us closer to God. Speaking on a supernatural level, God “inhabits the praise of his people” Psalm 22:3. When you praise God, he draws near to you. Have you ever felt your prayers were not going past the ceiling? Spend some time praising God. Give several minutes of your mental energy and your thoughts to God’s greatness. It will make a difference.

The Bible is FILLED with words praising God. Use them. Praise God right now by reading the following words to the Lord:

Dear God, we praise you for your grace and forgiveness: “You have forgiven the iniquity of your people. You have covered all their sin. You have taken away your wrath. You have turned from the fierceness of your anger” Psalm 85:2-3.

We praise you because you are so great and so compassionate: “Glorious things of thee are spoken” Psalm 87:3. “Thou art the helper of the fatherless … the Lord is KING forever and ever” Psalm 10:14,16.

God, we praise you for your wisdom: “The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations” Psalm 33:11.

God, we praise you because you watch over us every day: “Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy” Psalm 33:18.

God, we praise you because in a world of evil and corruption, we know you judge righteously. “Thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations of the earth” Psalm 67:4.

God, we praise you because you take care of us throughout our entire lives. “O God, thou hast taught me from my youth … Now, when I am old and grey-headed, O God, forsake me not until I have shown your strength to this generation and your power to everyone who is to come … my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness all the day long” Psalm 71:17-18,24.

Dear God, we praise you. Teach us to praise you daily. To talk to you all the time about your amazing attributes. To remind you—and remind ourselves—that you are sovereign, you are the Almighty, you are holy and loving and good, and you are taking care of us every day, at all times. We praise you for your infinite love and grace and mercy. May we lead lives worthy of your salvation.

AΩ