When you worship, God feels right at home

“O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.” Psalm 22:3

The place where you live is your home or “habitation.” So when you praise God, you’re saying, “Make Yourself at home, Lord.” Where does God dwell? He has many different addresses, and one of them is praise. Just as we enjoy a deeper level of intimacy with those we share our lives with at home, praise creates a sense of intimacy between God and us. Just as words spoken in love and appreciation draw two people together, words of praise draw you closer to God. The New King James Bible says, “You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel.” Note the word enthroned. The Japanese have a wonderful way of translating this. Recalling how their emperor was once carried on a throne and those around him would stop and bow down, they say, “When we worship God we create a seat, and He comes down and sits in it.” Five times in two back-to-back Scriptures we are commanded to “sing praises” to God. “Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with understanding” (Psalm 47:6-7 NKJV). When God repeats the same thing five times in two verses, it’s because He wants to be sure you get the message. You say, “But I couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket.” Listen to a praise CD and hum along. The psalmist wrote, “Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name” (Psalm 63:3-4 NKJV).

Bible in a year: Luke 13:1-21 and Psalm 72-73