What does the Bible say about praise?
Praising the Lord shows God how much you love Him and appreciate all that He has done. Furthermore, praising God can improve your relationship and life as God is faithful and there for us even in our darkest moments. Find out what the Bible says about praise and learn how to incorporate praising God into your life.
Christian quotes
“Let us ever remember that God recognizes every expression of praise and of His people’s love. He knows so well what His love and grace are to us that He must expect us to praise Him.” G.V. Wigram
“In almost everything that touches our everyday life on earth, God is pleased when we’re pleased. He wills that we be as free as birds to soar and sing our maker’s praise without anxiety.” A.W. Tozer
“God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” John Piper
“Until God opens the next door, praise Him in the hallway.”
“The deepest level of worship is praising God inspite of pain, trusting Him during a trial, surrendering while suffering, and loving Him when He seems distant.” — Rick Warren
What does it mean to praise Him?
Praising the Lord entails giving Him all of the adoration and approval He is due. God has created all things and, as such, deserves to be glorified, honored, magnified, revered, thanked, and worshipped (Psalm 148:13). Praise is a pure response to God’s exceptional goodness. Therefore, he alone is deserving of our total devotion.
We praise God because He is our Creator who provides for us in all things, not just on this earth but for eternity. Praising the Lord means to give God credit for all that He does with reverence. From reverence comes true wisdom and an intense desire to love God (Psalm 42:1-4).
We must remind ourselves of God’s faithfulness even when the situation appears to be the darkest. When we offer a sacrifice of praise to God as an act of obedience, we will quickly begin to believe it again. We don’t deny our suffering; rather, we choose to remember that God is with us in the midst of it by thanking Him.
1. Psalm 148:13 “Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.”
2. Psalm 8:1 “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory above the heavens.”
3. Isaiah 12:4 “and on that day you will say: “Give praise to the LORD; proclaim His name! Make His works known among the peoples; declare that His name is exalted.”
4. Psalm 42:1-4 “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?” 4 These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng.”
5. Habakkuk 3:3 “God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah His glory covered the heavens, and His praise filled the earth.”
6. Psalm 113:1 (KJV) “Praise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD.
7. Psalm 135:1 (ESV) “Praise the LORD! Praise the name of the LORD, give praise, O servants of the LORD.”
8. Exodus 15:2 “The LORD is my strength, the reason for my song, because he has saved me. I praise and honor the LORD–he is my God and the God of my ancestors.”
9. Psalm 150:2 (NKJV) “Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!”
10. Deuteronomy 3:24 “O Lord GOD, You have begun to show Your greatness and power to Your servant. For what god in heaven or on earth can perform such works and mighty acts as Yours?”
Importance
Praising God can keep your focus on the correct path to a relationship with God and eternity with Him as well. Praise is a wonderful practice that is both beautiful and agreeable to the Lord. Furthermore, praising God reminds us of His unending list of attributes such as glory, power, goodness, mercy, and faithfulness, to list a few. It’s difficult to list all God has done, but it’s a great exercise for bringing our attention back to Him and reminding us of how much we owe to Him.
Additionally, praising God benefits us and not just God. First, it helps to renew your strength by reminding you God is there. Second, praise invites God’s presence into our lives and satisfies our souls while reducing depression as we know we are loved. Third, praise brings freedom from sin and death. Next, praising God fulfills our purpose in life to love God and follow Him all the days of our lives.
Praising God even helps us to increase our faith. We can recount the excellent things God has done in our lives, the lives of others, and even the great things the Lord performed in the Bible as we spend time worshiping Him. Our spirits are reminded of God’s goodness when we do this, which strengthens our faith and helps us to focus on eternity and not just the current timeline. As you can see, praising God greatly benefits our lives.
11. Psalm 92:1 “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High.”
12. Psalm 147:1 “Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!”
13. Psalm 138:5 (ESV) “and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord, for great is the glory of the Lord.”
14. Psalm 18:46 “The LORD lives! Praise to my Rock! May the God of my salvation be exalted!”
15. Philippians 2:10-11 (NIV) “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
16. Job 19:25 “But I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end He will stand upon the earth.”
17. Psalm 145:1-3 “I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. 2 Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. 3 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.”
19. Hebrews 13:15-16 “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
20. Psalm 18:3 (KJV) “I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.”
21. Isaiah 43:7 “Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them.”
Reminders
The Bible tells us to praise over two hundred times showing how important the practice is to our lives. Psalm is full of scripture praising God and showing us the path to praise. In the book of Psalm, Christians are told to praise God’s mighty deeds (Psalm 150:1-6) and for His great righteousness (Psalm 35:28), among so many other verses encouraging us to focus on God’s never-ending wonderful attributes.
Time and again, we see scripture telling us to praise the Lord. Look at Colossians 3:16, which says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. This scripture perfectly sums up what the Bible says about praising God.
22. Psalm 71:8 (ESV) “My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all the day.”
23. 1 Peter 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”
24. Isaiah 43:21 “The people whom I made for Myself will make known My praise.”
25. Colossians 3:16 “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”
26. James 5:13 “Is any one of you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises.”
27. Psalm 106:2 “Who can describe the mighty acts of the LORD or fully proclaim His praise?”
28. Psalm 98:6 “With trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn shout for joy before the LORD, the King.”
29. Daniel 2:20 “He said, “Praise the name of God forever and ever, for he has all wisdom and power.”
30. 1 Chronicles 29:12 “Both riches and honor come from You, and You are the ruler over all. In Your hands are power and might to exalt and give strength to all.”
31. Psalm 150:6 “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.”
The difference between praise and worship
Praise and worship go together to honor God. The joyful retelling of all that God has done for us is referred to as praise. It is inextricably linked with thanksgiving, as we express our gratitude to God for His magnificent acts on our behalf. Praise is universal and can be used in a variety of situations. We can thank our loved ones, coworkers, bosses, or even the paperboy. Praise necessitates no action on our part. It is simply the sincere acknowledgment of another’s good deeds.
On the other hand, Worship originates from a distinct part of our souls. God should be the exclusive object of worship. Worship is the act of losing oneself in God’s adoration. Praise is an element of worship, but worship is more. Praise is simple; worship is more difficult. Worship reaches into the core of our being. To properly worship God, we must let go of our self-worship. We must be willing to humble ourselves before God, surrendering control of every aspect of our lives to Him and adoring Him for who He is rather than what He has done. Worship is a way of life, not merely a one-time event.
Additionally, praise is uninhibited, loud, and filled with joy like our souls are reaching out for God. Worship focuses on humility and repentance. Between the two, we find a healthy balance of humbling ourselves before the Lord and being joyful in the love of the Lord. Also, with worship, we are opening communication to allow the Holy Spirit to talk to us along with convicting, comforting, and guiding us. Think of praise as a form of thanksgiving and worship as an attitude of the heart understanding our need for Jesus.
32. Exodus 20:3 (ESV) “You shall have no other gods before me.”
33. John 4:23-24 “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
34. Psalm 22:27 “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him.”
35. Psalm 29:2 “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.”
36. Revelation 19:5 “Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both great and small!”
37. Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”
38. 1 Corinthians 14:15 “So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding.”
Difficult times
Praising God in difficult times may be challenging, but it’s the most important time to tell the Lord how important He is to you. Difficult times can bring you closer to God with a humbleness that is hard to achieve in good times. Trust also comes in difficult times as you learn to lean on God for help and understanding.
Psalms 34:1-4 says, “I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.”
The benefits of praising through hardship are quite clear in this verse as it can help the afflicted, and God answers and delivers from fear. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus tells us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” By praising God through hardship, we can give our burdens to Him and know that He will carry our burdens for us.
Try singing instead when you cannot praise because your heart is too heavy. Even in Psalms, David had difficulties he could only verbalize into a song. Look at Psalm 142:4-7, where he sings of how hard is life is and asks God to deliver him from his persecutors. You can also praise through reading the Bible or even fasting to find that closeness with the Lord you need to get through difficult times.
39. Psalm 34:3-4 “Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together. 4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.”
40. Isaiah 57:15 “For this is what the high and exalted One says— he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.”
41. Acts 16:25-26 “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.”
42. James 1:2-4 (NKJV) “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
43. Psalm 59:16 (NLT) “But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress.”
How to praise?
You can praise God in many different forms. The form most people know is prayer, as you can use your words to praise God directly (James 5:13). Another form of praise involves singing praise to God (Psalm 95:1). Many people enjoy the freedom of praising with their entire body by raising their hands, voices, and more (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Reading scripture is a form of praise as it helps to improve your relationship with Christ (Colossians 3:16). Additionally, reading the Bible can help to inspire you to praise God more by seeing everything He has done.
Sharing your testimony offers another way to praise God by sharing your love for Him with others. Simply sitting and making yourself receptive to listening to God can be a form of praise as well. Finally, you can praise God by following His example and helping or serving other people, and showing them His love through your actions (Psalm 100:1-5).
44. Psalm 149:3 “Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp.”
45. Psalm 87:7 “Singers and pipers will proclaim, “All my springs of joy are in You.”
46. Ezra 3:11 “With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD: “He is good; his love toward Israel endures forever.” And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.”
Psalms
Psalms are the best book of the Bible if you want to know how to praise God and offer thanksgiving. David wrote many of the Psalm along with many other contributors, and the entire book focuses on praising and worshipping God. Here are some notable Psalms to help you understand how to offer God praise and thanksgiving.
Take some time to read the entire book of Psalms to help you understand God and learn to praise His many amazing attributes and everything He does for us.
47. Psalm 7:17 – I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.
48. Psalm 9:1-2 I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.
49. Psalm 69:29-30 But as for me, afflicted and in pain—may your salvation, God, protect me. I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.
50. Psalm 95:1-6 – Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!
51. Psalm 103:1-6 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, Who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagles. The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.
52. Psalm 71:22-24 “Then I will praise you with music on the harp, because you are faithful to your promises, O my God. I will sing praises to you with a lyre, O Holy One of Israel. 23 I will shout for joy and sing your praises, for you have ransomed me. 24 I will tell about your righteous deeds all day long, for everyone who tried to hurt me has been shamed and humiliated.”
53. Psalm 146:2 “I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.”
54. Psalm 63:4 “So I will bless You as long as I live; in Your name I will lift my hands.”
Examples
Many people praise God in the Bible, starting with Psalms above written by David and several other authors. In Exodus 15, Miriam leads others to praise God for His goodness. Deborah praised God by leading others to face difficult battles in Judges chapters four and five.
Next, Samuel praised God in 1 Samuel chapter three. In 2 Chronicles 20, the author praises God for His faithful love. Paul praises God throughout the 27 books he wrote in the New Testament. Take a look at Philippians 1:3-5, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”
Many others praised God in scripture, even Jesus, such as when He was in the wilderness. He said to the tempter, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” And also, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’
Jesus being on earth was an unbelievable form of praise by following God’s will to come to earth and die for our sins.
55. Exodus 15:1-2 “Then Moses and the sons of Israel sang this song to the Lord, and said, “I will sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted; The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea. “The Lord is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; This is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will extol Him.”
56. Isaiah 25:1 “O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.”
57. Exodus 18:9 “Jethro rejoiced over all the good that the LORD had done for Israel in delivering them from the hand of the Egyptians.”
58. 2 Samuel 22:4 “I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and have been saved from my enemies.”
59. Nehemiah 8:6 6 “Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.”
60. Luke 19:37 “As he approached the road leading down from the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen.”
Conclusion
Praise is an important element of a surrendered life because it acknowledges God’s work and offers credit where credit is due. Praise is not just for worship services; it’s also a part of our daily life. We may thank God in the midst of our daily routines of going to work, loving our families, and walking through the checkout line; we can extol His magnificence and worth. Start praising the Lord and watch your relationship with Him flourish!
