Why praise ?

[shug23]

Does anyone know why God needs praise? I can somewhat understand why 'man' might feel a need to praise, but it seems that praise is a requirement according to the Bible and I don't understand why.

 

[Vinny37]

Does anyone know why God needs praise? I can somewhat understand why 'man' might feel a need to praise, but it seems that praise is a requirement according to the Bible and I don't understand why.

Your premise is wrong. God does not need praise. Here’s something from a book which might help. I have excluded its footnotes. And though dated, C S Lewis’ Reflections on the Psalms, is extremely helpful here.

[“Sweet Holy Spirit, Sweet heavenly dove”, prayed Doris Akers. What really is praise? It is an expression of admiration: a man might praise a young woman’s beauty or a work of art, without wishing to possess her or it. Such admiration is healthy and (unless expression is imprudent or undermining) to let it flow is quite right—according to nature, as the ancient Greeks would have said. One might almost say that praise harmonizes logic and spirit, as both ‘head’ and ‘heart’ come together in praise. Praise is a spiral of blessing! Indeed, despising praise can cause internal injury. In praising the Supremely Praiseworthy, we are transformed by contemplating and accepting the source of all virtue. Some overlook this, and so might misunderstand why deity seeks our praise. He is not the Supreme Egotist, and it is for our good that he encourages us to ‘feast’ on himself, so to speak: if he could create a more praiseworthy object for us to behold, then he would, and would command us to render to It our highest praise. Praise to/‌of the spirit is obviously right, for even impersonal virtues are said to be worthy of praise (Php.4:8). Would it be right to praise a woman, a picture, yet not the Holy Spirit? We are right—please excuse the anachronism—to Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.]

 

[eddif]

Does anyone know why God needs praise? I can somewhat understand why 'man' might feel a need to praise, but it seems that praise is a requirement according to the Bible and I don't understand why.

Why? IMHO
Hebrews 13:15 kjv
15. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

Physical sacrifice is well documented under the law. The priests got their food from offerings.

The New Covenant in the Hebrews passage, gives us a little higher understanding.

Revelation 3:20 kjv
20. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

When we sup (commune?) with Jesus we see the following.
Matthew 4:4 kjv
4. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Not just physical food, but something beyond the physical.

Psalms 22:3 kjv
3. But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

Some later translations may help some,

Mississippi redneck
eddif

 

[shug23]

Your premise is wrong. God does not need praise. Here’s something from a book which might help. I have excluded its footnotes. And though dated, C S Lewis’ Reflections on the Psalms, is extremely helpful here.

[“Sweet Holy Spirit, Sweet heavenly dove”, prayed Doris Akers. What really is praise? It is an expression of admiration: a man might praise a young woman’s beauty or a work of art, without wishing to possess her or it. Such admiration is healthy and (unless expression is imprudent or undermining) to let it flow is quite right—according to nature, as the ancient Greeks would have said. One might almost say that praise harmonizes logic and spirit, as both ‘head’ and ‘heart’ come together in praise. Praise is a spiral of blessing! Indeed, despising praise can cause internal injury. In praising the Supremely Praiseworthy, we are transformed by contemplating and accepting the source of all virtue. Some overlook this, and so might misunderstand why deity seeks our praise. He is not the Supreme Egotist, and it is for our good that he encourages us to ‘feast’ on himself, so to speak: if he could create a more praiseworthy object for us to behold, then he would, and would command us to render to It our highest praise. Praise to/‌of the spirit is obviously right, for even impersonal virtues are said to be worthy of praise (Php.4:8). Would it be right to praise a woman, a picture, yet not the Holy Spirit? We are right—please excuse the anachronism—to Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.]

well, you have given an explanation why it is right for 'man' to praise, but I think throughout the old and new testament, one is commanded to praise. Is it your belief that one can be a Christian and not praise ?

 

[Vinny37]

well, you have given an explanation why it is right for 'man' to praise, but I think throughout the old and new testament, one is commanded to praise. Is it your belief that one can be a Christian and not praise ?

The command to praise him is for our benefit, not for his. It is 'feeding' upon him, enriching ourselves by him, becoming more like him.

 

[shug23]

The command to praise him is for our benefit, not for his. It is 'feeding' upon him, enriching ourselves by him, becoming more like him.

Does it say the command is for our benefit, or is that your reasoning?

 

[hawkman]

Does anyone know why God needs praise? I can somewhat understand why 'man' might feel a need to praise, but it seems that praise is a requirement according to the Bible and I don't understand why.

It is as much about us as it is about God. Your understanding will come when you give God praise .

Jeremiah20:9
New American Standard Bible
But if I say, “I will not remember Him
Or speak anymore in His name,”
Then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire
Shut up in my bones;
And I am weary of holding it in,
And I cannot endure it.

Source: https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/Jeremiah/20/9

 

[hawkman]

Is it your belief that one can be a Christian and not praise ?

It is my belief that you can praise God without being a Christian .

My challenge to you is this . Close you eyes and offer praise to the creator of the Universe even if all you have to praise Him for is the breath in your body .

 

[miamited]

Does anyone know why God needs praise? I can somewhat understand why 'man' might feel a need to praise, but it seems that praise is a requirement according to the Bible and I don't understand why.

Hi shug23

I think the best answer is that God does experience emotions. He experiences anger and joy. He knows that those who willingly give Him praise are the ones who love Him. I mean, come on, when you met that girl you're married to didn't you just really enjoy heaping praise on her. Weren't your emotions elevated when she praised you? I mean, I guess some might fault God for having feelings and desiring praise from what He created. I don't. God knows the heart.

God bless,
Ted

 

[Vinny37]

Does it say the command is for our benefit, or is that your reasoning?

We may legitimately draw conclusions from what God has said, and how we have come to know him. Wider reading, too, helps us see from insights from others—part of building up the church (Eph.4:16). You have asked in order to canvass insights from others, to build up a picture.

I’ve suggested looking at, Reflections on the Psalms, by C S Lewis, for rich wisdom. But, overlooking the masculine-inclusivism no longer in vogue, I do find four features in it repellent—four fat flies in rich perfume. These are the use of Jew(s), when an anachronism for Israelite(s); the degrading of God’s name even from Tyndale’s lower option, to [Lord]; the term Judaism, when an anachronism for what in AD 70 replaced Pharisaism; the concealed polytheism of God, when contextually it should be put as god. Sadly common enough errors among current top-notch scholars—one must live with them. You can freely access the relevant chapter, “A Word about Praising”, by free registration at https://archive.org/details/reflectionsonpsa0000lewi/page/92/mode/2up?q=hungry

A small quote from that book: [“Even in Judaism the essence of the sacrifice was not really that men gave bulls and goats to God, but that by their so doing God gave himself to men; in the central act of our own worship of course this is far clearer—there it is manifestly, even physically, God who gives and we who receive. The miserable idea that God should in any sense need, or crave for, our worship like a vain woman wanting compliments, or a vain author presenting their new books to people who never met or heard of them, is implicitly answered by the words “If I be hungry I will not tell thee” (Ps.50:12). Even if such an absurd Deity could be conceived, he would hardly come to us, the lowest of rational creatures, to gratify his appetite. I don’t want my dog to bark approval of my books. Now that I come to think of it, there are some humans whose enthusiastically favourable criticism would not much gratify me.”]

 

[WIP]

Does anyone know why God needs praise? I can somewhat understand why 'man' might feel a need to praise, but it seems that praise is a requirement according to the Bible and I don't understand why.

I don't know that God necessarily needs praise. He demands that we give Him glory, honor, reverence, praise, etc. because He and He alone is worthy of it. None of us is worthy of it for sure.

 

[for_his_glory]

We give praise and glory to God for all He has done for us.


Psa 103:1 A Psalm of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Psa 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Psa 103:3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Psa 103:4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Psa 103:5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

 

[eddif]

Rights - Freedoms - Obligations

This is about preaching the Gospel, which is about praise to the one who accomplished salvation.

1 Corinthians 9:14 kjv
14. Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.
15. But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it werebetter for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.
16. For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
17. For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.

The concept is doing something that is explained. It can be done in many context areas. Love, compassion, preaching, praise, or many other things.
Edward for_his_glory Hawkman and others are saying: just let praise exist (on the highest level possible). Not under compulsion, but from His presence in us.

Jumping context areas may seem strange to some, but concepts are able to be shown in seeds or the word of God. Shown in the ground or men’s hearts.

Mississippi redneck
eddif