Praise Forevermore

Psalm 113:2-3; Blessed be the name of the Lord. From this time forth and forevermore! From the rising of the sun to its going down. The Lord’s name is to be praised.

For reasons other than the obvious (it was a long, cold winter), this was an especially long, cold winter. I’m exceedingly relieved to experience spring’s warmth, longer hours of daylight, and snow quickly dissipating into puddles of water.

It’s easy to be light hearted, joyful, and filled with thanksgiving when the earth is awakening from its frozen, death-like slumber, and new life is becoming evident all around us. This is a time of hope (yes, we survived another winter!) and excitement (have you seen your first robin yet?).

When things are good, when everything’s going my way, it’s very easy to break into spontaneous praise: Thank you, Lord! Life is wonderful! I’m so grateful for all you’ve done for me!

But what about during the hard times, the dark times? Can I still praise Him when the weather — and everything else in life — seems cold and awful?

Yes, I can — but only through an act of my will.

My circumstances do not determine God’s goodness. They certainly do not determine whether He is worthy of my praise. My emotions fluctuate from day-to-day and even moment-to-moment, but God remains the same. He is always worthy of all praise.

I once heard the definition of praise given as, “to boast about joyfully.” Our God gives us plenty to boast about in Him! If you’re not in the habit of practicing praise and don’t really feel equipped to do so, here are some passages you can read to see how it’s done in the Word: Psalm 113, Psalm 103:1-5, Psalm 145:1-3, Psalm 147:1-6, Revelations 5:9, 12, and 13b; Revelations 7:10-12.

You can also sing or recite lyrics from some of your favorite hymns or praise songs that express adoration for God: “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee,” “How Great Thou Art,” “Holy, Holy, Holy,” etc.

Try finishing these thoughts: “God, I praise you because you are my . . .” (comforter, healer, provider, etc.). “God, I praise you because you have . . .” (created the universe, loved me while I was a sinner, prepared a place for me, etc.). List adjectives that describe God, and use them in your adoration: holy, worthy, powerful, merciful, loving, etc.

The ways we can praise God are as varied as our personalities, and through our praise we enter into the Lord’s beautiful presence where things like long, cold winters don’t even exist!