Higher Praise

Most faithful Christians would probably claim they live a life of praise and worship. They’ve heard the common teaching about living a life of worship, attended countless worship services, and seek to live unto the glory of God in everything that they do! Worship takes many forms, but giving God direct praises through singing, words of adoration, and physical expressions of praise are central. I find that despite constant interaction with church services, there can still be dormant places in our hearts.

When I was a teenager, I thought I was a good drummer. Drums weren’t my primary instrument, but I loved to play. I had a few friends who were better than me, but I saw myself as very capable.

Then I went to college. I discovered that I was not that great at drums compared to some of my classmates studying to be professional drummers and percussionists. These players devoted all their time and energy to being great at the drums, and I would have to work tirelessly even to keep up!

Then I started exploring the music industry and realized that most of the “great” drummers I knew were tiny fish in an ocean of skill and experience. Looking back at my teenage self, I realize that I was comparing my craft to the standard around me and not to the true standard of what it means to be a great drummer.

The same can be said of the journey of faith. It is easy to feel self-justified when comparing your praises to those in your immediate circle. We might be tempted to settle for a form of praise and worship well below our capacity. That is why passages like Psalm 96 are vital for the believer's life.

Within moments of reading, the psalm demands higher praises from its reader. It calls everyone to praise the Lord, higher and higher! Psalm 96:1 ESV says, “Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth!”

I don’t want to downplay the current state of your prayer life. I’m not attempting to stir up another comparison game. However, I am trying to break down any acceptance of stagnant praise.

God is an infinitely glorious God. We can keep climbing higher and higher in our praises, offering more of our worship and leaning in harder to glorify his name for our entire life, and we will still step into heaven’s glory in awe of how much greater he is than we could ever imagine.

I'm inviting you to set aside every excuse that would cause you to hold back even one moment of praise. Instead, respond continually to the command to sing to the Lord and give God glory.