Praise Continually

Ps. 34:1

I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

How exactly do I praise the Lord? I know that at church in corporate worship singing heart-stirring songs it seems so easy. My heart is lifted high and reaches out to God. The sermon feeds my soul, and I praise God for that. When I am in my weekly Bible study studying and praying with ladies, or when I am having my personal study and prayer time, my heart is stirred as well. But how do I replicate this verse? How do I bless the Lord at all times? How is His praise continually in my mouth?

Verse 2 says My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Perhaps it has to do with my state of heart. When I am humble, I realize my great need. In that need, I do cry out to God. I connect with Him, even blessing and praising Him for His work and provision in my life. But when I am self-sufficient and going about my own way, I rarely think of Him. The demands of my day overtake my soul, and I seem to operate in a different mode. It's not that I purposely stop praising God, it's that other menial tasks seem to take over. So how to eliminate this? Recognizing my need and dependence upon God seems to be a vital key to blessing the Lord at all times. If I am humble and dependent, I will be boasting in the Lord. He will be the One working in and through my life. He is the One who will be making me glad. My day should be filled not just with everyday tasks but with asking God to help me, to be with me, to guide me even in these tasks that I have done by myself for so many years. As I consciously seek Him, I can listen to praise music. I can pray. I can keep verses in my mind and at my ready access. I think it comes down to my awareness. What do I want? Do I want to go through my day on auto-pilot or with God as my pilot? Do I really see my need enough that I seek Him? If I want this crucial change, then I must pray and ask the Spirit to make it a reality in my life.

Verse 3 says O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt the Lord together! Hopefully, this is my end result. I will be magnifying the Lord and sharing how great He is with others. Together, we will exalt His name. In my mind I so want to live like this, but in my flesh, it is so easy to get way-laid.

Father,

I bring myself before You asking You to give me Your strength and wisdom to praise You continually. I know that the answer is in You not in my will power. I bring You my desire and my praise for who You are and for Your working in my life.

In Jesus name,

Amen