All week I’ve tried to come up with some intriguing, or at least unique, start to this article. It is the first week of a new year, after all. I conducted a bit of online research, I mulled over snippets of my personal history that might be considered interesting and I even put out subtle hints to several friends. Nothing. So I’ve decided to just exhort each of us to make this a year of giving God our prepositional praise.
Here’s the simplest of explanation. Using a juicy apple as an example I can say it is on the table, in a bowl on the table, beside your plate or under a paper serviette. On, in, beside or under are prepositions. In Psalm 150 the Psalmist David uses the same pattern. I call it worship from a prepositional perspective.
First, David exhorts us to praise God in His sanctuary and indeed, in the expanse of His creation. At first glance we could limit and formalize our praise as strictly universal until remembering that when we invited Christ into our lives, our hearts became His personal sanctuary. Praise, a Hebrew word for Hallelujah, should flood our private world. Viewing His total work of creation should result in praise welling up within us.
Then, we are to praise Him for His mighty works and His excellent greatness. Does that mean we are to rejoice over the evil that confronts us and our world? No, but we do give praise because He has promised to be with us through it all.
Finally, David exhorts us to employ the “with” of worship and the list is long! All kinds of musical instruments and indeed, our very breath, are to be used to praise Him. The medium isn’t the only thing; it’s our response that counts.
“In everything give thanks …”
