Praises from the Psalms

I don't always read the Bible every day and sometimes I wish I did. I love being a crazy person who believes that the Bible is divinely inspired! Let those 'rational' smart scientific people out there mock me for all they're worth, it doesn't bother me a bit. I'll believe 'til the day I die that the Good Book is the Word of God because every single day I find inspiration and hope and wonder and wisdom and more.

Today I just opened my Bible up to where the ribbon was holding a place. I didn't know where it was going to be. Sometimes I do that - just let it fall where it may. And I was delighted to find myself reading the last 4 chapters of the Psalms - chapters 147-150 - which are songs of PRAISE that King David composed.

Praise is different from worship. I was once mocked by some fellow church members for saying we should make a difference in the praise songs and worship songs. They laughed at me and said there was no difference. I beg to differ. 

PRAISE - is the act of glorifying God for the things that he has done! When your child bring home an A+ report card you praise them for it, don't you? Maybe even reward them? Praise is the act of giving God glory and honor for the wonderful things He does for you.

WORSHIP is the act of giving God honor and glory for WHO HE IS. He is a holy, just, righteous and above all LOVING GOD. If you worship something you not only give it all of your attention, but you start to mold yourself into becoming LIKE that thing or that person. I used to worship the Beatles (in a manner of speaking, I was NOT a member of some weird cult). I listened to them alllllll the time. I dressed like a hippie and started calling my guy friends 'lads' and my girlfriends 'birds'. I did not do drugs. I knew more trivia than I should admit to. But none of that would get me anywhere. If I had focused all that energy on worshipping GOD instead, I would be more like Him in every way. And isn't that what we are hoping to achieve in all this life?

So I was reading some wonderful praises penned by King David. I started with this one - chapter 147:1

"Praise the Lord!
For it is good to sing praises to our God:
For it is pleasant and praise is beautiful."

And right there, I knew that no matter what happens today, I will praise God for it.