by Jordyn van Gaalen

Praise the Lord – At All Times

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking this SoundCloud link.

“I will extol the Lord at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
I will glory in the Lord;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
Glorify the Lord with me;
let us exalt his name together.”
Psalm 34:1-7 NIV

Through the good and the bad, we should follow David’s words in the opening words of this acrostic poem: to praise God and extol his name, in all times, in all circumstances. This doesn’t mean when we feel like it or when our emotions feel joyful enough to extend praise. David uses the words “always” and “at all times” in the same verse. That is an emphasis we can’t gloss over.

Praise may look and feel different. It may mean joyfully singing or solemnly praying. It may mean standing before God with a loss for actual words. Through every fleeting emotion – at all times – we magnify the Lord. 

When others see this behavior, it can catch notice. Praising God when things seem to be going terribly wrong. Or giving all glory to God when things go really well. It is human nature to fall into despair during heartache. It is the sin of the flesh to become arrogant when we get the promotion or our work is acknowledged or when compliments come our way. When we go against our natural inclination and praise God at all times, we are pointing to Christ. We are directing those around us to someone greater than us. 

How much easier tasks are when we no longer have to go at them alone. When we come together in the hard times and the “successful” times, we commune together as brothers and sisters in Christ. “Let us extol his name together,” writes David. The road is less burdensome when we travel it together. 

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado