Worship Through the PsalmsSample

As we commit to worshipping in spirit and truth, praise and worship naturally follow thanksgiving. Take some time even right now to begin thanking the Lord and remembering all He has done in your life. After having thanked Him, we can’t help but find ourselves wanting to pour our love and adoration out before Him in songs of praise. “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together!” (Psalm 34:1-3) When we live from a place of worship, a place of constantly giving thanks like David did, praise will be the overflow and it touch all those around us.

Praise is the joyous proclamation of what the Lord has done; worship is our love and adoration poured out for who He is. Oftentimes throughout his Psalms, we see David begin by recounting the marvelous deeds the Lord had done, to exclaiming the beauty of who the Lord is, and proclaiming his love for his God.

Psalm 145 is a perfect example of this movement in his heart from praise of God’s works to adoration of His very nature. In verses 1-7, David is exalting the Lord, proclaiming the worthiness of what He has done. Then we see starting in verse 8 David goes on to overflow with the truth of God’s nature: “The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love; the Lord is good to all; the Lord is trustworthy in all He promises and faithful in all He does; the Lord is righteous in all His ways.” (Psalm 145:8) David began by praising the Lord and meditating on His wonderful works, which led him to burst out into singing of the Lord’s holy, loving nature.

This is what the Father desires for your time of worship: that you would lift up His praises and allow Him to reveal His nature to you. Your heart will be full of joy as you see Him for who He is and overflow with His indescribable love. The Father desires you to be ever closer to Him. Praise and worship lead you to this deeper place of intimacy in His heart. It is from this place that you can enter into sweet times of communion with His Spirit as you listen to Him and pour out your heart to Him in prayer.