Praise!

Praise!

I WILL praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth (recount and tell aloud) all Your marvelous works and wonderful deeds! Psalm 9:1 AMPC

The one thing that immediately stands out from the introduction to this song is also that there is no record of any drama. Most of the songs written by David had a recorded foundation; in one instance, it was when God delivered him from the hand of Saul who was trying to kill him, or in another instance, it was sorrow for his sins of adultery and murder. So many songs came from the place of distress and pain, but at the start of this chapter, all we read is: 'a psalm of David'. At this time, he did not need to sing about tribulations, troubles or trials, but about the triumphs of knowing this God who had done wonderful things for him.

Like David, do I need an experience of trouble before I know the value of the God who is in charge of all of life? Must something go very wrong before I run to God and ask for His help with that situation? Do I even consider that there is a need to praise God unless there is clear proof of what He has done for or given to me? Do I react to God first based on what I perceive He deserves, or for who He is, no matter what my own experiences may have been? David sang a lot about the troubles that he had, but we also know that he was a man who was also quick to take any opportunity he had to praise God. Can the same be said about me? Can this be said about you?

There is a lot of value to taking out time often to reflect on how far I have come, what I have experienced, and how God has shown up for me in amazing ways. Check out the verse above: David made a personal decision to praise God. It was not force; it was not a matter of compulsion. Like David, I also get to choose if, how and when I praise God. God does not force Himself on anyone, and He will not go against the exercise of my freewill. He wants me to choose to praise Him. What flows from my heart as a freewill offering is more precious than what comes from a rigid and unyielding and unwilling heart. As always, the choice too matters. 

It was praise, not complaints. It was appreciation, not just desperation without any aspiration. It was not like David had it all good; even in the midst of distress, he did not wait for the stars to align before he burst into praise. David also committed his entire heart to this process, not just half-hearted devotion. This also matters; God does not deal in half-measures; He either takes all or nothing at all. If He is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all. Of course, when the internal is sorted,e external impact is non-negotiable. People will definitely feel the impact and power of a life that God has touched. Can people see and know God through my current direction? God's time of favour is here.