Elohei Tehillati (Speak the Names of God)

Be not silent, O God of my praise! —Psalm 109:1 ESV

Diehard sports fans are passionate when they celebrate their favorite team. They put on the jersey and paint their faces. They clap and cheer with all their might. If their team is playing well, there’s no holding back. But the cheering stops, and the stadium becomes silent when the score is not in their favor.

2 Samuel 6:14-23 tells the story of David bringing the Ark of the Covenant back to the temple.

And David danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn. As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart. And they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it. And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, a cake of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed, each to his house.

And David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants’ female servants, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” And David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord—and I will celebrate before the Lord. I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor.” And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

David did not hold back when it came to praising the Lord. God had been by his side through the best and the worst of times, and He deserved everything David had. He shouted, sang, and danced, undeterred by what people might think. His joyous thanksgiving was his gift to Elohei Tehillati, “The God of My Praise.” Even in the lowest points of his life, David continued to praise the Lord.

Ephesians 5:15-21 ESV
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Praise is the act of expressing approval or adoration. It is an outward expression of devotion and gratitude for all God has done and the fruit of lips that acknowledge His name.

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. – Hebrews 13:15 ESV

It is our chance to glorify Him for who He is. In the high moments of life, praise may come easy. But praising God even when our hearts hurt is a sacrifice that pleases Him.

God is worthy of praise even when our circumstances don’t feel praiseworthy. The apostle Paul understood that. He experienced much suffering as he traveled around sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet he never let any of it turn his praise into lament. He rejoiced in the God of his praise in the good times and the bad, and he exhorts us to do the same.

Psalm 100:1-5 ESV
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

The Bible says to rejoice always, even and especially when it’s difficult to, because God is always good.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. – Philippians 4:4 ESV

He has promised to sustain us through every challenge we face. He has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, enabling us to have faith no matter what. We don’t praise God based on our evaluation of His performance; we praise Him because He is worthy.

DECLARE

I will rejoice in the God of My Praise regardless of my circumstances.

PRAY

God, you are worthy of my praise no matter what I may be going through. You love me and have a glorious plan for my life. I will trust You and praise You in the waiting.

PONDER

When you’re celebrating a breakthrough or a blessing, praise comes easy. But what about when you’re still waiting? When you offer the sacrifice of praise during suffering, you will begin to see beyond the pain.