David has always been one of my favorite Bible characters. That was especially true when I was young. I’ve always found his writing to be so easy to read and to be very relatable. When I look at passages throughout the Bible today, I still will look to see if David had anything to say on the matter. An example of this is the topic of praise.

Praise is one of the things that God encourages us to do throughout the Bible. It’s something that we’re to do with our whole heart. It’s not like God even needs people to praise Him, “for if we keep silent, even the rocks will cry out” (Luke 19:40). Our praise is however, an acknowledgement of what God has done. The definition of praise includes admiring, honoring, worshiping, trusting, and thanking.

So what does David say on the matter? Psalm 9:1-2 gives us examples of what David vowed to do in his life as he praised:

1. I will give thanks to God wholeheartedly -verse 1
2. I will declare God’s marvelous work -verse 1
3. I will be glad and rejoice in all God is -verse 2
4. I will sing praises to God -verse 2

Praise is something we’re encouraged to do in Scripture. It involves intentional effort. As we go through our days, may we each thank, declare, be glad, and sing praises to God with our whole hearts.

Photo by Yanin Diaz on Unsplash