The scene is still alive in my memory, even though it’s been almost 20 years.
I’m sitting in my room next to our big old farm, a teenager, listless at this time of night when everything is better than homework. It’s a hot summer night and cicadas sing their choir like an army of whistling protesters. little Sanyo cassette player, I borrowed a ribbon from a friend. Keith Green, the last Christian singer-songwriter, well, the newest, compared to the 12-year-old Lismore whisky.
- I repeat a song several times.
- The chorus gives a deep chord: “When I hear the praise begin.
- I see no stain on you.
- Because you are my son and you know me.
- For me you’re just a saint.
- Nothing you’ve done is left alone for what you do for me?.
I listen carefully. ” When I hear the praises begin, I see no stain on you. “I wonder how I was able to praise God in this way, so that he would look at me so favorably. The fact that this? Hello for praise? Being a little dishonest theologically doesn’t get into my head. All I care about is how to get started. Maybe I should go to Wednesday’s “prayer and praise” night at church and see how it’s done.
So, for a somewhat confused Christian teenager, concern for “praise” as a fundamental aspect of Christian life, like most adolescent concerns, remained intense for a few months until something else took its place. I was obedient to the night of prayer and praise, where I discovered this part of the?Praise?consisted of singing devotional choirs, usually with his eyes closed and his arms raised. Did I read the books by Merlin Carruthers, Prison to Praise and The Power of Praise, which encouraged me to rehearse several times?Hallelujah, in relation to the problems of my life, to make them disappear. I also tried this on my little brother with limited success.
One thing I never understood, as a devoted teenager, was what exactly “praise” meant. For a long time, I assumed you would praise the Lord by saying “Hallelujah” until someone informed me of this Hallelujah. the Hebrew word for “praise of the Lord. ” It didn’t help me much, because it meant that we all said to ourselves, “Praise the Lord?all the time (since we clearly don’t ask God” Lord?”), But we don’t really continue with “praise. ” Whatever it is.
Then I began to think that maybe praise was just another way of saying “singing,” because that’s what we always did when the minister or leader invited us to “praise God. “Maybe it was a compliment? I wasn’t sure about that yet.
Although everyone seems to agree that worship was a vital part of the Christian life, that it had something to do with prayer and that it probably had to be sung, no one ever told me how to do it. Neither are my experiences during the next one. Twenty years eased my confusion
And then, for the purposes of this article, what exactly is “praise” and how does it happen?
To answer these questions, we will mainly examine this book in which more than half of all biblical references to?Praise? Occur? (In our next issue, we will continue this analysis of the Psalms to see how praise relates to prayer and how psalms can help us in our prayers. )
The Hebrew title of the Psalms (tehilim) simply means “Praise”, and we certainly cannot read many psalms without finding the familiar call to praise (?Praise to the Lord?) Or another expression of praise (?Will I praise you, O eternal?).
In their original context, the Psalms were probably something like the book of hymns of Israel. Many, if not all, were accompanied by music, and it seems likely that the temple was the usual place where they were sung.
But while it is clear that music was often involved in israel’s praise, it is also clear that it was the accompaniment of praise, not praise in itself. Singing was often the mode of expression and the musical instruments were an accompaniment (?congratulate you with the lyre and harp?), but what was expressed and accompanied?When did the call to “Praise the Lord” sound, what did the Israelites expect from the congregation afterwards?What was the “praise”
For many modern Christians,?Praise? It is a personal encounter with God, usually with a strong emotional tone, in which we speak to him or sing to him and tell him how much we love and honor him. “We praise you Lord, We honor you, we glorify you,” exalts your great and glorious name; Do we praise Jesus?, etc. Praise is generally considered a special religious practice, usually performed in church meetings.
Thanks in large part to the charismatic movement, are you here?It is often found in modern Christian consciousness. It usually happens at the same time as him?Cult, how in omnipresence?praise and worship?that flood Christian bookstores and the car’s music media. It is an experience of communion with God, where God’s presence is above all.
However, as so often happens with biblical words and ideas, the Hebrew word that translates as “Praise” describes a much more common and secular activity. Suppose we see a friend doing something excellent or do we perceive a good quality or attribute in their character?This happens when, having observed this excellence, we talk to others about it, we can be with our friend in front of their colleagues and tell everyone, right in front of him, what he has done and how great he is. You’re renting it. We describe how noble his character is or how extraordinary his achievements are.
Praise is this proclamation of someone’s quality. It’s “advertising. ” In the Psalms, it is an proclamation of God; is to tell as high and broadly as possible the excellences of the God of Israel, so that everyone can honor him.
Thus, when there is an exhortation to praise God in the Psalms, is it invariably followed by praise itself?Statement of his character and powerful actions for the individual or nation. Psalm 96 is a classic example:
Sing a new song to the Lord, sing to the Lord all countries; sing to the Lord, bless his name; proclaim your salvation day after day; announces its glory among nations, among all peoples, their wonders; for great is the Lord and worthy of praise, more fearsome than all the gods; for all the gods of peoples are only idols; But jehovah made heaven. Glory and majesty are before him, strength and beauty in his sanctuary?(Psalm 96. 1-6).
This public proclamation of God’s greatness in the Psalms covers the full range of God’s character and accomplishments. He is acclaimed for being the Almighty Creator and the supporter of all things (Ps 74; 104), the Judge of the earth (Ps 33:6-9, 13-15; 11), who governs righteously (Ps 9:8) and acts with firm and indefatigable love (Ps 136). The Psalms echo in amazement that this good, just, and good God has allied himself with Israel, who from on high descended to love them in the depths; He is the Redeemer of Israel, both collectively (Salt 105; 136; 89) and individually (Salt 22; 30; 32).
Praise is therefore essentially publicity, however odious this comparison may seem. In fact, provoking an additional comparison is like three-way advertising.
Like advertising, praise can be accompanied by music, although music is not its essence. Music is rented as jingle is advertising. This can make it effective, memorable, even great, but unless the product is described and promoted is really of little use.
In the case of praise of God, is it more appropriate to make a sound?As in Psalm 150, where a true orchestra gathers to accompany praise, it is appropriate not only for the joy and celebration that develops naturally in God’s people. , because it remembers all god’s mercy, but also because it makes advertising more effective. Music is not for God’s benefit, as if he likes good music, or as if Baal needs to wake up with a loud noise. It is more for those who listen, so that, in the context of the temple, the proclamation of God’s greatness will have a great effect.
Perhaps a modern Psalmist would write, “Praise be to God with a powerful sound system and a sound set to 11”.
Like publicity, praise can take many forms, often in the Psalms, is it in the third person ?, this happens in the presence of God, no doubt, but it is addressed to those who listen:
From the birth of the sun to the sunset, praise the name of the Lord; the Lord is upon all nations, and their glory upon heaven; Who is like the Lord our God, whose throne is high, who bends over to see what happens in heaven and on earth?He raises from dust and manure the disadvantaged, the needy, to sit next to the princes, yes, with the princes of his people; makes the sterile woman live in the family and be a happy mother of children, Hallelujah?!(Exit 113, 3-9).
Sometimes it is in the form of personal testimony
“I waited for the Lord with confidence; he leaned over and listened to me when I asked for help. pulled me out of a well of condemnation, from a mud earthquake; put my feet on a rock and stabilized my footsteps. He put on my lips a new song, a hymn of praise to our God: Will many see these things, fear, and trust in the Lord?(Ps 40: 1-3).
And sometimes he speaks directly to God Himself:
I will give you thanks, Eternal, with all my heart; in the presence of the mighty I will sing praise to you; I will prostrate myself before your holy temple and praise your name for your mercy and your truth, for you have greatly magnified your name and your word. You came to me and encouraged the strength of my soul. Will all the kings of the earth, O Eternal, give thanks by hearing the words of your mouth?(Exit 138, 1-4).
However, even when praise is directed at God, it has the character of a proclamation. The Psalmist speaks or sings to God about all that God is and has done, but he does it in front of others. Is he God praised? When others hear about the wonderful things he has done, which leads us to the third consideration of what praise is in advertising.
Just as you can’t run a particular ad campaign, can’t anyone?In particular. The fundamental nature of praise is the public proclamation, recognition, and acclamation of God. Notice how the Psalmist expresses it in Psalm 40:
I proclaimed the good news of justice in the great congregation; I never closed my lips, you know it, Lord; I did not hide your righteousness in my heart; I proclaimed your loyalty and your salvation; I did not hide your grace and truth from the great congregation?(Ps 40:9-10).
It is as if the act of rescue or liberation is not reserved for the Psalmist, given to proclaim it to the whole community, it is unthinkable to hide it or keep it to yourself. You must testify in the great assembly (Salt 35:18).
This, of course, does not mean that in our private prayers we do not thank God for who He is and what He does; We express our worship for his character and his glorious works; however, if we want to use biblical words, you must use them biblically. This personal and private thanksgiving is not “praise” in the biblical sense. Praise always has the character of a public proclamation.
In NT, praise has the same basic form as in TA. As Hebrews 13. 15 says:
“By Jesus, then, let us offer to God, always, a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that confess his name. “
Or as Peter says
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people who belong exclusively to God, to proclaim the virtues of the One who called you from darkness into his wonderful light; yes, you who were not a people before, but are now God’s people, who have not attained mercy, but who have now attained it?(1Pe 2. 9-10).
Praise is a confession, a testimony, a statement of what God is doing. Of course, for us, who have come to the end of time, praise no longer focuses on the physical temple of Jerusalem and its worship. We are all temples of the Holy Ghost, so praise does not occur in the context of a temple meeting, but always and wherever we “confess His name. “When we declared his greatness to others, in telling how he showed us his mercy and called us to be his own people, then we praise God.
In the New Testament, therefore, praise is somewhat similar to evangelization; is the publicity of God’s powerful saving actions; it is not something we do alone in the church, but simply proclaim the gospel when we gather; it’s not something that’s defined. like music.
Does this democratization or expansion of praise in the NT reflect how many categories of the Old Testament become Christ??temple?,? Adoration?,?Priest?,? sacrifice? etc. In fact, many of the mistakes and problems we face in the life of the church come from not recognizing this transformation.
In the case of praise, many churches fail to free themselves from an Old Testament/Temple thinking about how praise should occur. Praise is considered a religious, cultural activity or experience, prepared for music, to lead in the church. Just as Dios. se particularly present in the Old Testament Temple, his special presence manifested when songs of praise were sung and a special atmosphere was created.
But in Christ, the Father comes and installs himself in each one of us through his Spirit, he is constantly present. Our spiritual worship is the sacrifice of our whole life for him (Rom 12: 1-2), and our praise, likewise, is the confession throughout life and throughout our lives, before the world, of what did for us.
It should also be said that many churches today do not recognize the fundamental nature of praise in the Psalms and in the New Testament. Praise does not make beautiful music for God. This is not a personal and mystical encounter with God. We don’t even praise God, saying, “We praise you, God, thank God Jesus, Hallelujah. “
Praise is publicity. It is to remember and declare who God is and what He has done; he listens, he does it by telling others; it is to exalt God, to speak of his good, to transmit his virtues and his excellence; praise comes from salvation for what he has done for us; praise is the testimony of the redeemed.
And in that sense, I guess, Keith Green was on the wrong track. I should have sung, “Because there is no place for you, I want to hear the beginning of praise. “