The Heart and the How of Praise

By Samantha Rodriguez

“Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.”—Psalm 98:1 (NIV)

Before continuing this devo, I suggest reading Psalm 98 in its entirety! It’s only nine verses long.

Think about the moments that bring your heart to a place of praise—things like watching the sky change colors at sunset, seeing the ocean waves break on the shore, laughing with friends and family, or remembering the hard things God brought you through and the good things He’s given you.

Psalm 98 starts with commanding the reader to sing to the Lord a new song because of all the marvelous things He’s done! This means we must remember what those things are. Looking at the small marvels in our everyday lives can help us have a heart of praise and sing a new song daily. In the immediate context of this psalm, the unknown psalmist is probably reflecting on the ways God has delivered Israel and is remembering His love and faithfulness to His people.

Therefore, in the first half of this psalm, we can see the heart and the why behind the praise. It’s only from this place of remembrance and gratitude that a new song of praise can be birthed. Thus, apart from the encouragement and the model this psalm provides us with when it comes to worshiping God, there are also some challenges it leaves us with.

The first challenge is whether we’re remembering and reflecting regularly on God’s goodness, power, and faithfulness. He’s supremely trustworthy, even in the darkest valleys, and that trustworthiness directly relates to His praiseworthiness. Do you reflect on His goodness daily even amidst difficult seasons in your life?

The second half of this psalm transitions from the why to the how. The psalmist writes, “Shout for joy to the Lord . . . burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord.” The psalmist instructs the reader to actually respond with joyful noise. Remembering what God has done is an act of worship only if we choose to praise Him through it!

Sometimes, we may reflect on God’s goodness and thank Him through prayer or journaling. The psalmist reminds us; however, that we should also worship the Lord with actual song and shouts for joy. The Lord made us to be musical and creative beings because He’s supremely musical and creative! Even the way the earth moves and sounds is a kind of musical praise to the Creator. Thus, in this half of the psalm we are challenged to consider if we’re spending time praising God through song and shouting. To worship God in this way can often be vulnerable and uncomfortable, but that only happens when we let our selfish thoughts get in the way of fully surrendering and embracing God’s joy! Be encouraged today because worshiping and praising God with abandon is part of the way we can step into the freedom He secured for us on the cross.

And the last thing I want to highlight about this psalm of praise is the emphasis on God making His salvation known among all the nations! This is the most marvelous thing He has done! His right hand and holy arm have fought for us. He’s perfectly righteous and just while also being perfectly gracious and generous. He’s worthy to be praised!

This psalm can serve as a model, an encouragement, and a challenge to why and how we praise the Lord. Let us sing a new song to Him today!

Pause: Take a moment to practice cultivating a heart of praise. Reflect and remember what God has done for you and how you’ve seen His goodness.

Practice: Worship God in song! Whether it be alone or together with a few friends, sing to the Lord a song of praise!

Pray: Heavenly Father, You are oh so good! You are faithful and generous. You are gracious and righteous. You are kind and just. Thank You for being everything my heart craves and needs. Thank You for being present in every season of my life and for wholeheartedly devoting Yourself to strengthening and guiding me. I will continue to praise You with my heart and my song today! You, my wonderful Lord, are so worthy to be praised. Amen.