Psalm 113:1–9 (ESV):
113 Praise the Lord!
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
praise the name of the Lord!
2 Blessed be the name of the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore!
3 From the rising of the sun to its setting,
the name of the Lord is to be praised!
4 The Lord is high above all nations,
and his glory above the heavens!
5 Who is like the Lord our God,
who is seated on high,
6 who looks far down
on the heavens and the earth?
7 He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8 to make them sit with princes,
with the princes of his people.
9 He gives the barren woman a home,
making her the joyous mother of children.
Praise the Lord!
When should you worship?
It can be easy to think that worship is for a gathering of believers, and it is often associated with singing, but here we are told, ‘From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!’ God certainly deserves to be worshipped all day long, so what is this form of praise that we can continue all day, for surely no-one can be expected to sing to God all day?!
To praise something means to express approval or admiration for. So praise can take many forms. It can be in the way you; talk about others/God, express gratitude, read the Bible, dance, play music, listen to teaching, think about God, pray, behave, and the way you carry out tasks. As you can see there are many ways that you can praise God. It involves what your mind is doing, and what your motivation is for what you are doing. You can wash dishes and be admiring God, or take out the rubbish and be considering God’s words. You can even be doing something that you don’t like doing, but you know that it will bless others, so you do it as a sacrifice of praise because that is your motivation. This is how it is possible to praise God throughout the day. You can display your admiration and approval of God in your workplace, community, area of study, at home, around family, friends and strangers, from the moment you wake up til you go to sleep. For true praise means that you carry the concern of honouring God in your life in every area of it. So, during your daily life, are you praising God? It is normal to think of other things too, not every thought will be directed to Him, the dishes do need washing and the rubbish needs dealing with, work needs to be done and people cared for. Yet you can carry out these activities with an attitude of praise to Almighty God. For this psalm doesn't just invite or encourage God's praise, but it commands it. For someone who follows God, worshipping Him is not optional, this psalm tells you to; Praise the fact He is Lord, praise His name, praise His glory, praise Him because He is above all things, praise Him as He transforms lives of poverty and barrenness to honour and fruitfulness. However you do it, praise Him. God deserves it. Even if you consider one aspect of God, one verse, or one thing He has done, it will lift your spirit and you will be directing praise to where it is due, to The Lord. How about considering that, ‘The Lord is high above all nations’ or, ‘who is like the Lord our God’ throughout your day? I wonder what will be revealed to you in the process and how grateful and in wonder you will be of Him.
When you set your mind to admire God in your day, you are joining with people all over the Earth in praising Him, as well as the hosts of heaven to consider the greatness of God! You are not alone in your praise. God is getting approval and admiration from across the World and beyond. There are many who are lifting Him up, extolling Him and honouring Him, remembering Him and enjoying thinking about Him. From princes to the poor, the childless to parents - they all praise the Lord and have reason to be joyful because of Him. Are you joining with them in praising God, 'from the rising of the sun to its setting'?
