What is Praise

Praise is an integral part of the life of a believer, it is a catalyst in the realm of the spirit and a formidable weapon of warfare. Most importantly we also see that praise is a prerequisite and a sure way to access the presence of the father. Psalm 100:4 says “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise” and Psalm 22:3 says “God Inhabits the Praises of His People”.

Looking at the above scriptures one gets an indication that when we make our way into the presence of the King we should not arrive empty-handed - we ought to arrive with a gift and that gift is praise - after praise is offered God's Glory appears and he graces us with his presence.

The importance of Praise is a commodity the Bible captures elaborately with over 100 scriptures written concerning this medium and these scriptures also include the instruction for us to praise God Psalm 150:6 says "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord" thus the importance of understanding the relevance and position of praise in our walk with Christ.

Let’s look at the 5 Hebrew words that are found in scripture that capture the word Praise and its meanings.

HALAL

Halal means “to be clear, to shine, to boast, show, to rave, celebrate, to be clamorously foolish.” Halal is the root word for Hallelujah and can be seen used in Psalm 149:3 Let them praise [Halal] his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp.

ZAMAR

Zamar means “to touch the strings, instrumental worship” we see this word used in Psalm 144:9 I will sing a new song to you, O God, on a harp of ten strings I will sing praises [Zamar] to you.

SHABACH

Shabach means “to shout with Triumph” we see this word used in Psalm 63:3 Because your loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise [Shabach] you.

TEHILLAH

Tehillah means “to sing a new song from the heart” we see this word used in Psalm 40:3

He put a new song in my mouth – Praise [Tehillah] to our God

The various forms of praise mentioned above vary from solemn praise to exceptionally elaborate and lavish praise which we see King David offer while he was taking the Turbanacle of the Lord from Obed- Edoms house in 2 Samuel 6:12 – 15 Now King David was told, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. 13 When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. 14 Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, 15 while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets."

King David was expressly known as a man after God’s heart and one of the keys attributed to

this acclaim was the luxurious praise and worship he offered the Father, this is the reason we see a prophecy through Amos in which God mentions that He will restore the turbanacle of David due to how uniquely it captured the dimension of praise and worship, King Davids ultimate purpose in this was God’s Glory.

Amos 9:11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old.

Such a dimension of praise and worship stems from one important key which is - knowing God. When we do not have a personal revelation and an intimate walk with God, Praising God will be laborious and foreign to us, praise is effectual when it stems from the recesses of our inward being and convictions. When we praise God from the abundance of personal convictions we enter a realm where we don’t praise God for what is going on in our lives, but we praise him for who He is in our lives no matter what’s going on.

The enemy does not understand Praise, Praise brings God to the scene and this is depicted in a very famous narration of Paul and Silas in prison found in the book of Acts; In a prison cell in the midnight hour Paul and Silas praise the Lord and suddenly all shackles became loosed and all prison doors opened, we must note that not only did the praise of Paul and Silas loose their bonds and prison doors but the bonds and doors of all the prisoners were loosed. Your praise has the power to deliver your family from the yoke of the enemy.

Acts 16:25-26 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26. And suddenly there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bands were loosed.

Praise was also used as a military strategy in the case of the Jericho walls coming down in Joshua 6:1-27, the instruction was to have the band lead the children of Israel around the walls of Jericho. The stringed instruments ushered in the presence of the Lord and it was game over for the town of Jericho - Praise makes things work cheaply.