Yesterday we began that journey and today I want to encourage you to praise God in other ways – let’s keep praising Him!
Praise the Lord! Praise him, you servants of the Lord; praise the name of the Lord. The Lord’s name should be praised now and forever. The Lord’s name should be praised
Psalm 113:1-3
We finished yesterday by lifting up hands, which comes from the Hebrew word Towdah (to-daw). Towdah literally means, “an extension of the hand in adoration or acceptance.”
By way of application, it is apparent in the Psalms and elsewhere that it is used for thanking God for “things not yet received” as well as things already at hand.
So in anticipation of things to be received, lift up hands as a sign of praise to God. Now that is not difficult to do, is it? Take a moment now and just do that. Thank God you believe Him for things not yet received.
I am sure you have heard of Jeremiah and the name he is associated with – the weeping prophet, not the name I would want to be associated with, yet even Jeremiah said:
Praise (Towdah) the Lord of hosts: for the Lord is good; for his mercy endures forever.
Jeremiah 33:11
Barak means “to kneel down, to bless God as an act of adoration.”
Today perhaps there is a way to worship God not often used as it was. When I was young every Anglican church I visited had a cushion for the purpose of kneeling down so you could praise God. My mother always at home knelt on her knees to pray and praise God. So it can be used privately or when we are together. Here are two verses to help you:
O come let us worship and bow down; let us kneel (barak) before the Lord our maker.
Psalm 95:6
Then David said to all the assembly, “Now bless (barak) the Lord your God.” And all the assembly blessed (barak) the Lord, the God of their fathers, and bowed low and did homage to the Lord and to the king.
1 Chronicles 29:20
Finally, let us finish with one which is more comfortable…
Halal (haw-lal)
Halal is a primary Hebrew root word for praise. Our word “hallelujah” comes from this base word. It means “to be clear, to shine, to boast, show, to rave, celebrate, to be clamorously foolish.”
Let them praise (halal) his name in the dance: let them sing praises with the timbrel and harp.
Psalm 149:3
So feel like dancing, it is permissible, and you don’t have to be a great dancer. Just have a genuine heart.
Whichever you choose to do today, kneel or dance or raise up hands, I hope you have a sense of joy knowing that your Father in heaven is excited about your offering of praise.
So stay and be blessed.