🕊️ PRAY HERE Devotion 🕊️ Pick Your Praise

Scripture: Psalm 150:6 KJV

“Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.”

Devotion :

God knows that everybody’s praise is not going to look or sound the same. Neither are our relationships with Him, our personalities, or our testimonies!

But one thing remains the same:

WE MUST PRAISE GOD! 🙌🏽

Yesterday we learned that praise is not denominational. Praise isn’t reserved for Pentecostals, Apostolics, Holiness churches, or people who happen to be naturally expressive.

Today’s Scripture doesn’t say:

“Let everybody who feels comfortable praising praise the Lord.” 😂

It says:

“Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD.”

So we shouldn’t have to wait until the praise leader or pastor says:

“Everybody take a deep breath in…” 😮‍💨😂

We already know we’re breathing!

We already know God is good!

We already know He’s been faithful!

So…

PRAISE HIM!

Today, let’s pick our praise.

And I honestly believe we experience different things throughout our lives that may cause us to express all of these at one time or another. I know I have! 😊🙌🏽

Dynamic Praise 💃🏽👏🏽🗣️🎶

Sometimes praise is expressive, joyful, loud, and full of celebration!

DANCE! 💃🏽

Second Samuel 6:14 says:

“And David danced before the LORD with all his might…”

Have you ever heard the song:

“When I think about Jesus and what He’s done for me… when I think about Jesus and how He set me free…”

And before you know it…

DANCE! DANCE! DANCE! 😂💃🏽🙌🏽

Sometimes thinking about where God brought you from will put movement in your feet!

SING! 🎶

The Hebrew word tehillah refers to praise or a song of praise. Psalm 34:1 says:

“I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

That’s where we get that familiar idea:

“ALWAYS HAVE A PRAISE ON YOUR LIPS!”

You don’t have to wait for the choir.

You can be washing dishes and start singing to God.

Driving down the road…

Praise Him!

Walking through your house…

Praise Him!

Sometimes a song comes from your heart simply because you remembered how good God has been.

GIVE THANKS! 🙌🏽

The Hebrew term todah is associated with thanksgiving and praise.

Psalm 50:23 says:

“Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me…”

Sometimes your praise is simply:

“LORD, THANK YOU!”

Thank You for keeping me.

Thank You for providing.

Thank You for protecting my children.

Thank You for bringing me through something I didn’t think I would survive.

Whewww! 😮‍💨🙌🏽

SHOUT! 🗣️

Shabach carries the idea of praising or commending loudly.

Psalm 47:1 says:

“O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.”

Sometimes a whisper just isn’t where you are!

Sometimes you remember what God brought you through and something comes up out of you:

HALLELUJAHHHHH!!! 🙌🏽🔥

And that’s okay!

BOAST IN THE LORD! 👏🏽

The Hebrew word halal is connected with praising, celebrating, and boasting.

Psalm 150:2 says:

“Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.”

In other words…

BRAG ON GOD! 😊🙌🏽

Tell somebody:

“GOD DID THAT!”

Tell them how He made the way.

Tell them how He answered your prayer.

Tell them how He kept you.

Tell them how He brought you out.

Dynamic praise can express pure joy, freedom, triumph, celebration, and overwhelming gratitude toward God.

Sometimes after everything you’ve survived…

YOU’VE GOT A REASON TO MAKE SOME NOISE! 🙌🏽🔥

But wait…

That’s not the only kind of praise.

Reflective Praise 🙏🏽

Some praise is quieter.

Still sincere.

Still powerful.

Still from the heart.

David danced before the Lord, but Scripture also gives us moments where God’s servants respond with stillness, reverence, bowing, kneeling, and lifted hands.

Elijah experienced this in 1 Kings 19. God wasn’t in the wind, earthquake, or fire. Afterward came what the KJV calls a “still small voice.”

Elijah covered his face and stood before the Lord.

Sometimes God’s presence makes you shout.

And sometimes…

IT MAKES YOU STILL.

🙏🏽

LIFT YOUR HANDS! 🙌🏽

The Hebrew word yadah can carry the idea of giving thanks or praise, including extending the hands.

Psalm 63:4 says:

“Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.”

Sometimes you don’t have the words.

You just lift your hands.

“Lord… I surrender.”

“Lord… I thank You.”

“Lord… here I am.”

🙏🏽

BOW OR KNEEL.

The Hebrew word barak can mean to bless and is associated with kneeling in reverence.

Psalm 95:6 says:

“O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.”

Whewww.

Sometimes when you truly comprehend WHO GOD IS, you don’t feel like dancing.

You don’t feel like shouting.

You just want to get low before Him.

🙏🏽

Reflective praise can express humility, awe, surrender, gratitude, and deep reverence for God.

And here’s what I really want us to understand today:

ONE IS NOT BETTER THAN THE OTHER.

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

Please don’t judge somebody else’s praise!

The person dancing may be remembering the addiction God delivered them from.

The person shouting may be thinking about the child they almost lost.

The person crying with their hands lifted may be remembering the prayer God finally answered.

And the person sitting quietly with tears running down their face may be having a moment with God deeper than you could ever know.

👀

YOU DON’T KNOW THEIR TESTIMONY!

David’s praise looked like dancing.

Someone else’s praise may look like kneeling.

Another person’s praise may sound like singing.

Another person’s may sound like:

“THANK YOU, JESUS!”

Another may simply lift their hands with tears in their eyes.

Don’t criticize it.

Don’t compare it.

Don’t compete with it.

And certainly don’t perform it for people.

PRAISE IS FOR GOD.

🙌🏽

So whether your praise today is dynamic or reflective, let it be SINCERE.

Dance if you need to dance. 💃🏽

Sing if you need to sing. 🎶

Shout if you need to shout. 🗣️

Give thanks. 🙌🏽

Lift your hands. 🙏🏽

Bow before Him.

Or sit quietly in awe of just how GOOD He has been.

PICK YOUR PRAISE!

Just don’t pick NO PRAISE. 😂🙌🏽🔥

Because Psalm 150:6 already settled that:

“Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD.”

You still breathing?

😊

PRAISE YE THE LORD!

God bless you! 💙

Reflect & Respond:

What kind of praise is in your heart today?

Don’t copy somebody else’s.

Don’t worry about who’s watching.

Don’t wait until Sunday.

Think about what God has done for YOU…

And give Him the praise that sincerely comes from YOUR heart. 🙌🏽

Prayer :

Father God, I praise You!

Thank You for Your goodness, mercy, grace, protection, provision, and love.

Whether I dance, sing, shout, give thanks, lift my hands, bow before You, or sit quietly in awe of Your goodness, let my praise always be sincere and directed toward You.

Forgive me for the times I judged someone else’s praise or withheld my own.

As long as You give me breath, I have a reason to praise.

HALLELUJAH! YOU ARE WORTHY!

In Jesus’ name, Amen. 🙏🏽🙌🏽💙