The Weapons of our Warfare

PRAISE

A definition of praise: to commend, to approve, to eulogize, to extol, to celebrate, to worship, to adore, and to laud. Praise is commendation and approbation.

I. Lessons are taught from Old Testament praise.

A. Of 38,000 Levites, 4,000 were praising the Lord. I Chron. 23:3-5.

B. David appointed Asaph and others to minister continually before the Lord. I Chron. 16:4, 6, 37.

C. The Levites stood and praised the Lord morning and evening. I Chron. 23:30.

D. Hezekiah set the house of the Lord in order. II Chron. 29:30-36.

E. Levites were appointed to praise in the gates of the tents of the Lord. II Chron. 31 :2.

1. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and praise. Ps. 100:4.
2. The gate of the Lord is righteousness. Ps. 118: 19.
3. Thy gates are praise. Is. 60: 18.
Observation: A gate gives access and entrance. Praise gives us access and entrance into the presence of God.

II. Observations on the sacrifice of praise.

A. Sacrifices of praise were to be brought to the house of the Lord. Jer. 17:26.

B. The sacrifice of praise shall be renewed in the days of the restoration of Judah and Israel. Jer. 33: 11.

C. The sacrifice of praise can be offered continually with our lips. Heb. 13: 15.

D. Some loved the praise of men more than the praise of God, indicating that there is cost and sacrifice in praise. John 12:43.

III. The enactment of praise.

A. Praise can be a vocal act.

1. It is possible to praise the Lord in speaking. Ps. 119: 171; . Ps. 145:21.
2. Singing is a vocal act of praise. Ps. 135:3.

B. Praise can be with instruments. II Chron. 7:6.

1. Trumpets are used in praise. Ezra 3: 10
2. Cymbals are used in praise. Ezra 3: 10.
3. The harp is used in praise. I Chron. 25:3; Ps. 43:4.
4. The psaltery is used in praise. Ps. 71 :22.
5. An instrument of ten strings can praise the Lord. Ps. 144:9.
6. Timbrels are used in praise. Ps. 149:3.
7. Stringed instruments may praise the Lord. Ps. 150:4.
8. Organs (wind instruments - Amplified Old Testament) may praise the Lord. Ps. 150:4.

C. Praise can be a physical act.

1. Standing with uplifted hands is an act of praise. Ps. 134.
2. Praise can be by the dance. Ps. 149:3; 150:4.
3. Clapping the hands is an act of praise. Ps. 47: 1.

D. Praise is intended to be heard and perhaps even loud. Luke 19:37; Acts 16:25; Ezra 3:11.

IV. The location for praise.

A. Praise is to be before the Lord. Ps. 9: 11 .

B. Praise is to be in His sanctuary. Ps. 150: 1.

C. Praise is to be in the congregation. Ps. 22:22, 25.

D. Praise is to be before people and nations - not necessarily believers. Ps. 57:9.

E. Praise is to be before the gods (satan's hosts). Ps. 138: 1. Directed toward Almighty God, of course.

V. The Agents of praise.

A. Creation praises the Lord.

1. Heaven, earth, the seas, and all that moves therein may praise the Lord. Ps. 69:34.
2. Sun, moon, stars, fire, hail, snow, vapours, stormy wind, mountains, hills, fruitful trees, beasts, creeping things, flying fowl, kings of the earth, princes, all people, young men, maidens, old men and children may all praise the Lord. Ps. 148.
3. Sailors, isles of the sea and inhabitants may praise the Lord. Is. 42: 10.
4. "Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord." Ps. 150:6.

B. The ungodly shall praise the Lord.

1. The wrath of man shall praise Him. Ps. 76: 10.
2. Nebuchadnezzar, though ungodly, praised the God of heaven. Daniel 4:37.

C. Angels shall praise Him.

1. "Praise ye him, all his angels; praise ye him all his hosts."1 Ps. 148:2.
2. "Let heaven (the angels) praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones - the holy angels." Ps. 89:5 Amplified Old Testament.

D. Men shall praise Him. Ps. 107:8, 15,21,31.

E. The saints shall praise the Lord. Ps. 149:5, 6.

F. The twenty-four elders shall pra1se the Lord. Rev. 5: 14.

VI. Lessons on praise from Judah - the name means praise. Gen. 29:35.

A. Jacob gave a prophetic blessing to Judah. Gen. 49:8-12.

1. Juda,h was to be a praise. v. 8.
2. Judah was to have victory over enemies. v. 8.
3. "Thy father's children shall bow down before thee". v. 8.
4. Judah is a lion's whelp. v. 9.
5. The sceptre shall not depart from Judah. v. 10.
6. A lawgiver shall not depart from Judah. v. 10.
7. Judah was promised the Lion of Judah (Christ). vs. 10-12.

B. Judah was placed first on the east side of the camp. Numbers 2:3.

C. Judah was in the lead when Israel journeyed. Numbers 2:9, 10: 14.

D. Judah was first in the offering of sacrifice. Numbers 7: 12.

E. Judah was the first to fight the Canaanites. Judges 1 :2.

F. Judah shouted and God smote Jeroboam and all Israel. II Chron. 13:14, 15.

G. Judah sang and Ammon and Moab were defeated. II Chron 20:22.

H. Judah was the sanctuary of the Lord. Ps. 114:2.

I. The Lord desired Judah for a praise. Jer. 13:11.

J. Jesus Christ is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Rev. 5:5.

VII. The power of praise is demonstrated.

A. Praise is strength. Matt. 21:16 in comparison with Ps. 8:2.

B. Praise produces fear of God when it is seen. Ps. 40:3.

C. Praise produces faith and is the answer to doubt. Ps. 40:3.

D. Praise brings salvation. Ps. 118:21 (Amplified includes confession here as an antecedent of salvation.)

E. Praise brings healing. Ps. 43:5; Acts 2:47 compared with Acts 3:8,9.

F. Praise brings the glory of God and fire. II Chron. 5; 7: 1-3.
This is a type of what happens between Luke 24:53 and Acts 2:47. The fire is a type of the Holy Spirit, and the temple of the Lord is a type of the temple of the Holy Ghost.

G. Praise brings deliverance. Acts 16:25, 26.

H. Praise brings victory in battle.

1. Jericho fell to the trumpets. Joshua 6 (cf. II Chron. 7:6).
2. Gideon defeated the Midianites. Judges 7 (cf. II Chron. 7:6).
3. Judah defeated Israel with a shout. II Chron. 13: 14, 15.
4. Singing defeats Ammon and Moab. Remember that Judah was doing the singing. (Moab and Ammon were the incestuous sons of Lot.) II Chron. 20:22.
5. "Gone up" is a battle term. This may well have been a bottle cry. Ps. 47:5-7.
6. There is triumph in praise. Ps. 106:47.

I. Praise binds the kings and the nobles. These nobles are types of Satan's hosts. Ps. 149:6-9. The believer has binding power. (Matt. 12:29; 16: 19; 18: 18). With this the psalmist agrees. "This honour have all his saints."

J. Praise makes manifest God's presence. Ps. 22:3; cf. Ps. 114:2.

VIII The Object of praise is the Lord Himself. Rev. 5:13.

"Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me." Ps. 50:23.

Next: The Name