The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines "praise" as "spoken or written words about the good qualities of someone or something; an expression of approval for someone or something; an expression of thanks to or love and respect for God." Praising involves expression--whether in speaking, writing, or singing. To praise means "to express a favorable judgment of," "to commend," or "to glorify."
God, as a perfect Being full of all goodness, love, and truth, does not need our praise or approval. Rather, our praising Him leads us to emulate Him and reflect His qualities of goodness. Our ultimate goal is to become like Him, and our praising Him only helps us to do so.
A few words and phrases in 2 Nephi 22 / Isaiah 12 give us an idea of actions we can take or attitudes we can hold to praise the Lord: "trust," "not be afraid," "joy," "call upon [God's] name," "declare his doings," "make mention that his name is exalted," "sing unto the Lord," and "cry and shout."
1. Trust
Footnote a in verse 2 takes us to Psalm 36:7, which reinforces the idea of trusting in the Lord. Verses 9-10 state, "For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart." These verses imply a responsibility on our part to obey God and follow Him. In order to truly praise Him, we must live our lives according to His will. As we follow His light, our lives will be filled with light; as we come to "know" Him, He will pour out blessings upon us. Mosiah 4:6-7 reinforces this crucial idea, that the way to receive salvation is to "come to a knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and also, the atonement which has been prepared from the foundation of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that should put his trust in the Lord, and should be diligent in keeping his commandments, and continue in faith even unto the end of his life."
2. Not be afraid
This is consistently a fitting topic in my life. My tendency is to anticipate events before they happen and to try to prepare for every step of the way, without always turning to God first and trusting in Him. I sometimes fear letting go of my own plans and submitting to God's will.
I love the contrast between the ideas of fear and praise. When I think of genuine praise, I think of joy, gratitude, and wonder. There is no fear included in true praise.
Ezra Taft Benson, in some of his teachings, discussed one characteristic that leads us to fear, and that is pride. When we fear men more than God we become prideful, and we are less likely to praise the One who is responsible for all our blessings. The proud who fear the judgments of those around them do not look up to God. When pride overtakes our hearts, "The world shouts louder than the whisperings of the Holy Ghost" and "the reasoning of men overrides the revelations of God,"
"Would we not do well to have the pleasing of God as our motive rather than to try to elevate ourselves above our brother and outdo another?" The fear of God rather than men responds to "[God's] judgments and to the needs of those around us." This is humility and leads to true praise of the Holy One.
3. Joy
2 Nephi 22:3 says, "With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation." Water here refers to the living water, or the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Joy. What a beautiful word. Joy is deeper than happiness, Happiness often depends on external circumstances and events, whereas joy is a much deeper internal feeling that is not dependent on external circumstances. In fact, joy can sometimes coincide with emotions other than happiness such as pain or sadness. Joy is a constant that comes when we are grounded in something bigger than ourselves.
I believe true joy comes when we trust in God. We can feel true joy when we consistently praise Our Father in Heaven. Because He is all-knowing and all-powerful and unconditionally loving, we can feel a constant peace and joy that is never destroyed by our circumstances. In fact, it only becomes stronger because we know in whom we trust. We are at peace with ourselves and with our relationship with God.
My grandfather is someone who is a prime example of living by joy. No matter the situation, he always seems to find deep meaning, and he is constantly in awe of life. It's amazing to me that that awe can come from someone who has already experienced so much of life, and could claim he knows everything. He finds himself learning everyday. He is a humble man with so much love and appreciation for life. I hope to someday show joy and love for the Lord the same way he does.
This is one of my favorite topics, because it is so deep and indescribable. I think of the birth of the Savior Jesus Christ and the joy that has brought to millions of people. I came across this simple poem that I think captures the moment of His birth beautifully:
Mary smiles softly.
Joseph kneels in awe.
Starlight points to glory
Within a lowly stall.
Angels sing His splendor.
Shepherds bow in joy.
Wise Men search together
To find the wondrous Boy.
The depth of our joy is dependent on our relationship with God. In a general conference talk by Elder Richard Maynes, he said, "The joy we experience in this life will be in direct proportion to how well our lives are centered on the teachings, example, and atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ."
Brigham Young asked: "Where is happiness, real happiness? Nowhere but in God. By possessing the spirit of our holy religion, we are happy in the morning, we are happy at noon, [and] we are happy in the evening. . . . Every Latter-day Saint, who has experienced the love of God in his heart, . . . realizes that he is filled with joy . . . happiness, and consolation."
In 2013, Linda K. Burton, the General Relief Society President, gave in a conference talk a specific example of what it means to joyfully keep our covenants, which is one of the most important ways to praise God: "One Sunday a young sister joyfully exclaimed, 'I get to take the sacrament today!' When was the last time we rejoiced in that privilege? And how do we demonstrate it? We do this by always remembering the Savior and always keeping His commandments, which include keeping His Sabbath day holy. We do it by always remembering Him as we always have our personal and family prayers, daily scripture study, and weekly family home evenings. And when we get distracted or casual with these important things, we repent and begin again."
4. Call upon God's name
To me, calling upon God's name is so simple yet something we often forget to do, especially when life is going well. We are quick to call upon God when we are struggling, but what about when we are grateful? When we simply want to praise God?
In 1974 N. Eldon Tanner, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, stated, "All men, whoever they are and wherever they may be, are invited to call upon [God] as their Father which art in heaven. What a glorious thing it is to realize and to know that we can go to our Heavenly Father without appointment, pour out our souls to him in all simplicity and faith, knowing that he is there and can and will hear and answer our prayers. We know that he is a living God who dwells in heaven, that we are his spirit children, and that his Son Jesus Christ has instructed us, regardless of who we are, to call upon God and to acknowledge him as our Father."
When I served as a full-time missionary in Indiana, I remember coming to a realization of how powerful prayer really was. I felt the Spirit more strongly and more often than I ever had before, and I attribute that to how often we prayed throughout the day. We prayed personally in the morning, we prayed before studying, we prayed before leaving the apartment for the day, we prayed before getting out of the car to teach a lesson, we prayed after each lesson, and we often prayed for gratitude after receiving answers to our prayers. The most powerful experiences came when we prayed with sincerity and really searched for answers to our prayers.
We are lucky to be able to speak to our Father in Heaven at any time. We don't need a mediator to take our pleas to God, but we can speak directly to Him as if we were making a telephone call. Joseph F. Smith, one of the former presidents of the LDS Church, taught, "No limit should be or can be set to the offering of prayer and the rendering of praise to the Giver of Good, for we are specially told to pray without ceasing, and no special authority of the Priesthood or standing in the Church is essential to the offering of prayer" (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. (1939), 205).
To me, calling upon God's name is so simple yet something we often forget to do, especially when life is going well. We are quick to call upon God when we are struggling, but what about when we are grateful? When we simply want to praise God?
In 1974 N. Eldon Tanner, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, stated, "All men, whoever they are and wherever they may be, are invited to call upon [God] as their Father which art in heaven. What a glorious thing it is to realize and to know that we can go to our Heavenly Father without appointment, pour out our souls to him in all simplicity and faith, knowing that he is there and can and will hear and answer our prayers. We know that he is a living God who dwells in heaven, that we are his spirit children, and that his Son Jesus Christ has instructed us, regardless of who we are, to call upon God and to acknowledge him as our Father."
When I served as a full-time missionary in Indiana, I remember coming to a realization of how powerful prayer really was. I felt the Spirit more strongly and more often than I ever had before, and I attribute that to how often we prayed throughout the day. We prayed personally in the morning, we prayed before studying, we prayed before leaving the apartment for the day, we prayed before getting out of the car to teach a lesson, we prayed after each lesson, and we often prayed for gratitude after receiving answers to our prayers. The most powerful experiences came when we prayed with sincerity and really searched for answers to our prayers.
We are lucky to be able to speak to our Father in Heaven at any time. We don't need a mediator to take our pleas to God, but we can speak directly to Him as if we were making a telephone call. Joseph F. Smith, one of the former presidents of the LDS Church, taught, "No limit should be or can be set to the offering of prayer and the rendering of praise to the Giver of Good, for we are specially told to pray without ceasing, and no special authority of the Priesthood or standing in the Church is essential to the offering of prayer" (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. (1939), 205).
He taught that the home is the best place to offer prayer and praises unto God. If we make it a priority to pray and study the word of God together as families, we will be protected spiritually and brought closer together as a family. What better place to praise God and feel the Spirit than with our own families in our homes?
I like to imagine myself standing before my Father in Heaven having a face to face conversation with Him. My prayers become less rote and I feel like I'm truly talking to someone. I picture Him sitting on His throne listening to my gratitude and my questions patiently and lovingly, and then I like to wait and listen.
5. Declare His doings
I had the opportunity to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ to individuals and families in Indiana for 18 months. I remember one instance about 6 months into my mission where I realized that I needed to be more bold in sharing my testimony of the gospel. I started sharing with people what I knew to be true, and that was that I knew that God lives, loves us, and is involved in the details of our lives. I shared with people the miracles of God's work on the earth today, that He had restored the gospel of Jesus Christ in its fulness through a modern prophet, just as in days of old. As I shared these things I received a regular witness through the Spirit that what I taught was good and true. I declared God's doings to people that I loved and saw their lives change for the better as a result.
As outlined by Elder John B. Dickson, a leader in the LDS Church, these are some of the "doings" of God throughout the time people have been on the earth
1. God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, have a plan of happiness for the human family.
2. Jesus Christ organized His Church during His mortal ministry (see Eph. 4:13).
3. The Church of Christ and many simple truths were lost (see 2 Thes. 2:3, Amos 8:11, 1 Cor. 11:18, and Acts 20:29).
4. The hearts of men and a location were prepared for a restoration of the gospel.
5. Latter-day events were anticipated by the prophets of old (see Isa. 29:14 and Acts 3:21).
6. The gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored in its fulness (through Joseph Smith in 1830--see Dan. 2:45).
7. Another witness of Christ has been given to our generation (the Book of Mormon).
8. The family can be eternal.
9. People (missionaries) have been called of God to teach the gospel.
10. You can know with assurance that these things are true. “And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things” (Moro. 10:3–5).
For me, the greatest news today is that the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ is on the earth. We have a living prophet of God who receives revelation for the people on the earth today, just as we did in times of old. As someone who grew up being taught this knowledge, I have always felt a responsibility to share it in order to show my gratitude to God.
D&C 19:29 states, "And thou shalt declare glad tidings, yea, publish it upon the mountains, and upon every high place, and among every people that thou shalt be permitted to see." The gospel is a message of hope, of "glad tidings!" "For we declare that God our Heavenly Father lives, that he hears and answers prayers, that Jesus is the Christ, and that he lives." The best news in the world.
Even if we do not go out and preach the gospel, we can share the gospel and praise God by the way we live. In October 1996 Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, "A dictionary defines a Christian as 'one who professes belief in Jesus as the Christ or follows the religion based on [the life and teachings of Jesus],' and 'one who lives according to the teachings of Jesus.' (See American Heritage Dictionary (1992), s.v. “Christian.”) Thus two characteristics identify Christians: (1) they profess belief in a Savior, and (2) they act in harmony with the Savior’s teachings."
One of the best verses in scripture that I think exemplifies why we preach of Christ to praise him is found in 2 Nephi 25:26: "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins." As Christians, we want to live according to this scripture!
6. Make mention that His name is exalted
In the scriptural Topical Guide, synonyms for "exalt" are "magnify" or "praise." We are asked to praise God's name, as if we were praising royalty! God is our king and we should respect him as such.
As I have studied this topic, it has changed the way I perceive God. He is not just my Father, He is a King. He is above all, as illustrated in Psalm 57:11: "Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth."
Nehemiah 9:5 instructs us to "stand up and bless the Lord your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise." Verse 6, referring to the Lord, says "Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee." These scriptures continue on to praise God for all the miracles He has performed and all the reasons He should be praised, but I love in this last verse how it talks about worship.
As Saints of God, we are given opportunities to worship Him. In October 2016 Bishop Dean Davies of the LDS Church said, "Far from being an accidental, happy occurrence, worship is essential and central to our spiritual life. It is something we should yearn for, seek out, and strive to experience."
HOW do we worship? We approach God with reverent love, humility, and adoration. We acknowledge and accept Him. We respect and revere him. We submit ourselves to Him. We pray, cherish his word, rejoice in his grace, and commit to follow Him. We have a sense of majestic awe and profound thanksgiving. There are opportunities to worship every day, especially Sunday when we can attend church, listen to inspired teachings, and gather in gratitude with others in our community.
WHY do we worship? We become more sincere and earnest disciples. We become more understanding, caring, forgiving and loving. It gives us a determination to walk the path of discipleship.
I believe that when we worship God, we are honoring His name as an exalted name.
Jesus Christ is our Savior. We have the opportunity to worship Him because of the incredible sacrifice He offers to us. Philippians 2:5-15 reminds us of this: "5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
I had the opportunity to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ to individuals and families in Indiana for 18 months. I remember one instance about 6 months into my mission where I realized that I needed to be more bold in sharing my testimony of the gospel. I started sharing with people what I knew to be true, and that was that I knew that God lives, loves us, and is involved in the details of our lives. I shared with people the miracles of God's work on the earth today, that He had restored the gospel of Jesus Christ in its fulness through a modern prophet, just as in days of old. As I shared these things I received a regular witness through the Spirit that what I taught was good and true. I declared God's doings to people that I loved and saw their lives change for the better as a result.
As outlined by Elder John B. Dickson, a leader in the LDS Church, these are some of the "doings" of God throughout the time people have been on the earth
1. God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, have a plan of happiness for the human family.
2. Jesus Christ organized His Church during His mortal ministry (see Eph. 4:13).
3. The Church of Christ and many simple truths were lost (see 2 Thes. 2:3, Amos 8:11, 1 Cor. 11:18, and Acts 20:29).
4. The hearts of men and a location were prepared for a restoration of the gospel.
5. Latter-day events were anticipated by the prophets of old (see Isa. 29:14 and Acts 3:21).
6. The gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored in its fulness (through Joseph Smith in 1830--see Dan. 2:45).
7. Another witness of Christ has been given to our generation (the Book of Mormon).
8. The family can be eternal.
9. People (missionaries) have been called of God to teach the gospel.
10. You can know with assurance that these things are true. “And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things” (Moro. 10:3–5).
For me, the greatest news today is that the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ is on the earth. We have a living prophet of God who receives revelation for the people on the earth today, just as we did in times of old. As someone who grew up being taught this knowledge, I have always felt a responsibility to share it in order to show my gratitude to God.
D&C 19:29 states, "And thou shalt declare glad tidings, yea, publish it upon the mountains, and upon every high place, and among every people that thou shalt be permitted to see." The gospel is a message of hope, of "glad tidings!" "For we declare that God our Heavenly Father lives, that he hears and answers prayers, that Jesus is the Christ, and that he lives." The best news in the world.
Even if we do not go out and preach the gospel, we can share the gospel and praise God by the way we live. In October 1996 Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, "A dictionary defines a Christian as 'one who professes belief in Jesus as the Christ or follows the religion based on [the life and teachings of Jesus],' and 'one who lives according to the teachings of Jesus.' (See American Heritage Dictionary (1992), s.v. “Christian.”) Thus two characteristics identify Christians: (1) they profess belief in a Savior, and (2) they act in harmony with the Savior’s teachings."
One of the best verses in scripture that I think exemplifies why we preach of Christ to praise him is found in 2 Nephi 25:26: "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins." As Christians, we want to live according to this scripture!
6. Make mention that His name is exalted
In the scriptural Topical Guide, synonyms for "exalt" are "magnify" or "praise." We are asked to praise God's name, as if we were praising royalty! God is our king and we should respect him as such.
As I have studied this topic, it has changed the way I perceive God. He is not just my Father, He is a King. He is above all, as illustrated in Psalm 57:11: "Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth."
Nehemiah 9:5 instructs us to "stand up and bless the Lord your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise." Verse 6, referring to the Lord, says "Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee." These scriptures continue on to praise God for all the miracles He has performed and all the reasons He should be praised, but I love in this last verse how it talks about worship.
As Saints of God, we are given opportunities to worship Him. In October 2016 Bishop Dean Davies of the LDS Church said, "Far from being an accidental, happy occurrence, worship is essential and central to our spiritual life. It is something we should yearn for, seek out, and strive to experience."
HOW do we worship? We approach God with reverent love, humility, and adoration. We acknowledge and accept Him. We respect and revere him. We submit ourselves to Him. We pray, cherish his word, rejoice in his grace, and commit to follow Him. We have a sense of majestic awe and profound thanksgiving. There are opportunities to worship every day, especially Sunday when we can attend church, listen to inspired teachings, and gather in gratitude with others in our community.
WHY do we worship? We become more sincere and earnest disciples. We become more understanding, caring, forgiving and loving. It gives us a determination to walk the path of discipleship.
I believe that when we worship God, we are honoring His name as an exalted name.
Jesus Christ is our Savior. We have the opportunity to worship Him because of the incredible sacrifice He offers to us. Philippians 2:5-15 reminds us of this: "5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Because of Christ's sacrifice and His exaltation, we are expected to obey Him in order to receive salvation. Verse 12 continues: "12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed . . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world."
7. Sing unto the Lord
The footnote to 2 Nephi 22:5 leads us to Psalm 57:7-11 which says, "My heart is fixed, O God . . . I will sing and give praise. Awake up, my glory . . . I myself will awake early. I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people; I will sing unto thee among the nations." There is no shame about praising God. It must be intentional and open. There is no need to hold back praise to the One who has given us all.
I love the idea of singing praises to praise God. In my mind, this is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to praise God, because there is a special unity and spirit that comes from music. When I sing or listen to good music I feel gratitude and love for God.
When we feel the peace and joy that comes from righteous living, the Spirit fills our hearts when we sing praises unto God. 2 Nephi 8:11 says: "Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy and holiness shall be upon their heads; and they shall obtain gladness and joy; sorrow and mourning shall flee away." The guiltless will "sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above" (Morm. 7:7).
1 And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.
2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
4 And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.
5 Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.
6 Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.
We have every reason to "cry and shout" for joy because of our Lord and Savior! He is in the very details of our lives!
D&C 128:23 beautifually states, "Let the mountains shout for joy, and all ye valleys cry aloud; and all ye seas and dry lands tell the wonders of your Eternal King! And ye rivers, and brooks, and rills, flow down with gladness. Let the woods and all the trees of the field praise the Lord; and ye solid rocks weep for joy! And let the sun, moon, and the morning stars sing together, and let all the sons of God shout for joy! And let the eternal creations declare his name forever and ever! And again I say, how glorious is the voice we hear from heaven, proclaiming in our ears, glory, and salvation, and honor, and immortality, and eternal life; kingdoms, principalities, and powers!"
To summarize, these are some of the ways we can praise God:
- Trusting in Him
- Keeping His commandments
- Committing our lives to Him
- Praying to Him
- Sharing His gospel with others
- Serving others
- Worshiping Him
- Singing praises
- Expressing our love and gratitude for Him!
7. Sing unto the Lord
The footnote to 2 Nephi 22:5 leads us to Psalm 57:7-11 which says, "My heart is fixed, O God . . . I will sing and give praise. Awake up, my glory . . . I myself will awake early. I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people; I will sing unto thee among the nations." There is no shame about praising God. It must be intentional and open. There is no need to hold back praise to the One who has given us all.
I love the idea of singing praises to praise God. In my mind, this is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to praise God, because there is a special unity and spirit that comes from music. When I sing or listen to good music I feel gratitude and love for God.
When we feel the peace and joy that comes from righteous living, the Spirit fills our hearts when we sing praises unto God. 2 Nephi 8:11 says: "Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy and holiness shall be upon their heads; and they shall obtain gladness and joy; sorrow and mourning shall flee away." The guiltless will "sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above" (Morm. 7:7).
Since early biblical times, songs have been used to express joy, praise, and worship. Music is a form of prayer. (See GS Music.) D&C 25:12 tells us, "God’s soul delights in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer."
I come from a very musical family, so beautiful music has always been very personal and dear to me. Every time my extended family gets together, we pull out our folders of good music we've gathered over the years and sing together. The harmonies blend together beautifully with each soprano, alto, tenor, and bass voice--I don't often feel the Spirit as strongly as I do when we're singing praises unto God as a family.
Singing is a way to praise God, as illustrated in D&C 136:28: "If thou art merry, praise the Lord with singing, with music, with dancing, and with a prayer of praise and thanksgiving." The scriptures ask us to "sing to [God's] praise" and give thanks to Him (see Alma 26:8). It is one of the best ways to remember our Savior.
In the words of a favorite hymn:
We’ll sing all hail to Jesus’ name,
And praise and honor give. …
Ye Saints, partake and testify
Ye do remember him.
8. Cry and shout
This whole post has been based on six verses of scripture, so I thought it was fitting to post those here:I come from a very musical family, so beautiful music has always been very personal and dear to me. Every time my extended family gets together, we pull out our folders of good music we've gathered over the years and sing together. The harmonies blend together beautifully with each soprano, alto, tenor, and bass voice--I don't often feel the Spirit as strongly as I do when we're singing praises unto God as a family.
Singing is a way to praise God, as illustrated in D&C 136:28: "If thou art merry, praise the Lord with singing, with music, with dancing, and with a prayer of praise and thanksgiving." The scriptures ask us to "sing to [God's] praise" and give thanks to Him (see Alma 26:8). It is one of the best ways to remember our Savior.
In the words of a favorite hymn:
We’ll sing all hail to Jesus’ name,
And praise and honor give. …
Ye Saints, partake and testify
Ye do remember him.
8. Cry and shout
1 And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.
2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
4 And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.
5 Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.
6 Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.
We have every reason to "cry and shout" for joy because of our Lord and Savior! He is in the very details of our lives!
D&C 128:23 beautifually states, "Let the mountains shout for joy, and all ye valleys cry aloud; and all ye seas and dry lands tell the wonders of your Eternal King! And ye rivers, and brooks, and rills, flow down with gladness. Let the woods and all the trees of the field praise the Lord; and ye solid rocks weep for joy! And let the sun, moon, and the morning stars sing together, and let all the sons of God shout for joy! And let the eternal creations declare his name forever and ever! And again I say, how glorious is the voice we hear from heaven, proclaiming in our ears, glory, and salvation, and honor, and immortality, and eternal life; kingdoms, principalities, and powers!"
To summarize, these are some of the ways we can praise God:
- Trusting in Him
- Keeping His commandments
- Committing our lives to Him
- Praying to Him
- Sharing His gospel with others
- Serving others
- Worshiping Him
- Singing praises
- Expressing our love and gratitude for Him!
