Jonathan Munson, Executive Director

“From the rising of the sun to the setting down of the same, the name of the Lord is to be praised.” Psalm 113:3

24.

1,440.

86,400.

Do these numbers mean anything to you? They should. They’re the hours, minutes, and seconds God gives us each day. From sunup to sundown, the psalmist invites us to infuse every moment with praise. That’s because praising God isn’t just something we do on Sundays. It’s an all-day, every-day kind of thing. 

I believe praise has the power to transform all 86,400 seconds of our day, regardless of our circumstances. But before we can understand the power of praise, we need to make sure we have a good grasp of what praise actually is.

• All About Him — Praise is adoration and celebration. It’s an expression of our love, joy, and affection for God. Charles Swindoll explains that when we praise, we are out of the picture. “Praise is all about Him.” We might say, “Lord, I praise You for Your faithfulness,” “I’m in awe of Your humility,” or “I praise You for the cross and the Resurrection.” Whatever words we use, praise intentionally shifts the focus from ourselves to the majesty and glory of God. 

• The Name of the Lord — Notice that the psalmist calls us to praise the “name of the Lord.” God’s name encompasses His character and His actions. We praise Him not only for what He’s done, but also for who He is: holy, just, merciful, loving, gracious, and good. The more we grow in our knowledge of the Lord’s name, the more naturally praise will flow from our hearts and lips.

Do you want to live a life of praise? Then get to know His name.

• Praise Is For Our Own Good — God doesn’t want our praise because He has an ego and needs us to tell Him how great He is. Rather, He invites us to praise Him because it’s good for us. Scripture teaches that we were created for the “praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:12). When we praise God, we align ourselves with the ultimate purpose for our existence.  

• Praise Is Powerful — Praise toppled the walls of Jericho (Joshua 6:1-21). King Jehoshaphat sent singers ahead of his army, and the Lord gave them victory without swinging a sword. (2 Chronicles 20:21). With shackled feet and bruised bodies, Paul and Silas sang songs of praise in a dark, damp prison cell. Moments later, the ground shook, the doors flew open, and their chains fell off. (Acts 16:25-28). 

Praise may not always change your circumstances, but it has the power to change you. Praise shifts our focus from our problems to God. It invites His presence into our midst, for the Lord “inhabits the praises of His people” (Psalm 22:3). Renowned Bible commentator Matthew Henry once wrote, “Praise is the work of heaven and the business of eternity.” When we praise God, we sync our souls with the sounds of heaven and bring heaven’s power to earth.  

• Praise Is Proactive — The reality is, when the alarm goes off every morning, none of us know what the day will hold. But before life ramps up, we have a choice. We can decide in advance how we’ll approach every situation, task, conversation, problem, or unexpected interruption that lies ahead: with an attitude of praise. Instead of just reacting to our circumstances, whether good or bad, we take the initiative and deliberately choose to praise God for His goodness, no matter what. We let praise set the tone for the day.

This doesn’t mean we turn a blind eye to reality. Praising God doesn’t mean denying pain. During certain seasons, our praise is sung in sad, somber tones. Nevertheless, we can be honest about our struggles while keeping our eyes fixed on God’s unchanging character. Here’s the truth: even when life is hard, God remains worthy of our praise. 

From sunrise to sunset and everything in between, may we choose to let His praise fill every moment of our days.

DIG DEEPER
Read “To the Praise of His Glory” by George Wright

Jonathan Munson, Executive Director

“From the rising of the sun to the setting down of the same, the name of the Lord is to be praised.” Psalm 113:3

24.

1,440.

86,400.

Do these numbers mean anything to you? They should. They’re the hours, minutes, and seconds God gives us each day. From sunup to sundown, the psalmist invites us to infuse every moment with praise. That’s because praising God isn’t just something we do on Sundays. It’s an all-day, every-day kind of thing. 

I believe praise has the power to transform all 86,400 seconds of our day, regardless of our circumstances. But before we can understand the power of praise, we need to make sure we have a good grasp of what praise actually is.

• All About Him — Praise is adoration and celebration. It’s an expression of our love, joy, and affection for God. Charles Swindoll explains that when we praise, we are out of the picture. “Praise is all about Him.” We might say, “Lord, I praise You for Your faithfulness,” “I’m in awe of Your humility,” or “I praise You for the cross and the Resurrection.” Whatever words we use, praise intentionally shifts the focus from ourselves to the majesty and glory of God. 

• The Name of the Lord — Notice that the psalmist calls us to praise the “name of the Lord.” God’s name encompasses His character and His actions. We praise Him not only for what He’s done, but also for who He is: holy, just, merciful, loving, gracious, and good. The more we grow in our knowledge of the Lord’s name, the more naturally praise will flow from our hearts and lips.

Do you want to live a life of praise? Then get to know His name.

• Praise Is For Our Own Good — God doesn’t want our praise because He has an ego and needs us to tell Him how great He is. Rather, He invites us to praise Him because it’s good for us. Scripture teaches that we were created for the “praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:12). When we praise God, we align ourselves with the ultimate purpose for our existence.  

• Praise Is Powerful — Praise toppled the walls of Jericho (Joshua 6:1-21). King Jehoshaphat sent singers ahead of his army, and the Lord gave them victory without swinging a sword. (2 Chronicles 20:21). With shackled feet and bruised bodies, Paul and Silas sang songs of praise in a dark, damp prison cell. Moments later, the ground shook, the doors flew open, and their chains fell off. (Acts 16:25-28). 

Praise may not always change your circumstances, but it has the power to change you. Praise shifts our focus from our problems to God. It invites His presence into our midst, for the Lord “inhabits the praises of His people” (Psalm 22:3). Renowned Bible commentator Matthew Henry once wrote, “Praise is the work of heaven and the business of eternity.” When we praise God, we sync our souls with the sounds of heaven and bring heaven’s power to earth.  

• Praise Is Proactive — The reality is, when the alarm goes off every morning, none of us know what the day will hold. But before life ramps up, we have a choice. We can decide in advance how we’ll approach every situation, task, conversation, problem, or unexpected interruption that lies ahead: with an attitude of praise. Instead of just reacting to our circumstances, whether good or bad, we take the initiative and deliberately choose to praise God for His goodness, no matter what. We let praise set the tone for the day.

This doesn’t mean we turn a blind eye to reality. Praising God doesn’t mean denying pain. During certain seasons, our praise is sung in sad, somber tones. Nevertheless, we can be honest about our struggles while keeping our eyes fixed on God’s unchanging character. Here’s the truth: even when life is hard, God remains worthy of our praise. 

From sunrise to sunset and everything in between, may we choose to let His praise fill every moment of our days.

DIG DEEPER
Read “To the Praise of His Glory” by George Wright