3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
5 Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.
6 Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us.
7 God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.
Today’s opening verse tells us that God is holy, and that He inhabits the praises of Israel. The word ‘inhabits’ reveals that God dwells, abides in, and remains in the praises of Israel. Well, Israel is God’s chosen people. 1 Peter 2:9 tells us that the Church, born again believers in Christ, are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a peculiar people. So, God inhabits our praises also. This is the point, God’s abiding, manifest and revealing presence is in praise. When we build a culture of praise, God is revealed in, on, around and through us. The manifest Presence of God is in praise. Any time and every time we render praises to God, He manifests Himself. When the priests praised God at the dedication of the temple built by Solomon, the glory of God filled the temple so much so that the priests could not minister. Why did God show up at the dedication of the temple? The priests knew what the temple was meant for; they knew what the temple was about. The temple is the house of worship and prayer, where sacrifices are offered unto God. When the priests praised God and worshipped the beauty of His holiness, the glory of God was made manifest (2 Chronicles 5:13-14).
When some formidable nations came against Judah in 2 Chronicles 20, and Jehoshaphat inquired of the Lord, the Lord said to Israel “Ye shall not need to fight in this battle…”And the Bible says,“And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.”The Presence of God was made manifest in their praise to defeat their adversaries. When you praise God, He will manifest Himself, and when He does, awesome things happen. Again, we see thatmysterious increase and fruitfulness are in praise (Psalms 67:5-7). Abundance and prosperity are in praise. When you give God praise from the depth of your heart, He manifests Himself around you in fruitfulness, prosperity, and increase. A lifestyle of praise is the key to fruitfulness and increase. Let the praise of God be always in your mouth. Refuse to complain or murmur. Lift your hands and thank God for health, thank Him for salvation, thank Him for eternal life, for justification, for righteousness, for the gift of the Holy Spirit, for His goodness in your life, and for your family. When you thank God this way, the freshness of God’s Presence will be made manifest around your life.
My Solid Front (Confession): I declare that I am a God-praiser. I have a lifestyle of praise and the Presence of the Lord is manifested to me always. I offer continually the sacrifice of praise to the living God, as I bask in the glory of His goodness. Amen.
Further Meditation: Psalms 92:1-3; Hebrews 13:15.