The Same In Every Language

Passage: Psalm 150

Focus: “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!” (v. 6)

There is a word that is the same in every language. Go to Japan, hear someone shout this word, and it will bring a smile to your face. Hear this word declared in Thai, and you will know exactly what the person is saying. German, French, Spanish, Burmese, and, yes, even English. What is that word? Let me keep you in suspense just a moment longer.

If you were to read a Hebrew copy of Psalm 150 you would find one word repeated thirteen times. Yep! It is the word that is spoken by believers all around the world. Figure it out yet? It is, “Hallel-Yah,” or, “hallelujah!” Hallel means “praise” and “Yah” is an abbreviated form of “Yahweh” . . . God. It literally means, “Praise the LORD!”

The psalmist declares that everyone should praise God. If you breathe, you qualify! Everyone will praise God one day. The Bible says  that demons praise Jesus. The inhabitants of hell will praise Him; though it will come too late. Even the atheist will bow his or her knee and say, “Jesus is Lord!” Don’t wait that long. Here are four ways to praise Him:

1) Consciously praise Him in every place and situation. Be intentional about praising Jesus, especially when things aren’t going well.

2) Take time to see the creative handiwork of God. Deliberately notice His hand in the events of your life. In other words, stop blaming or giving credit to coincidence! Stand in awe of who He is and what He does.

3) Openly proclaim the honor He is due. Begin to use words of praise. Words like: “amen, praise the Lord, hallelujah, I exalt you, magnify,” and “glory.” Don’t use them in a casual and flippant manner, though. I was watching a Christian show. A guest was explaining an ordinary thing his dog had done. The host laughed and replied, “Well, amen to that.” Let these words flow from a genuine, heartfelt desire to praise Him.

4) Praise Him with your life as well as your lips. May Jesus never have to say of us what God said through Isaiah, “These people draw near Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me, and in vain they worship Me” (Isa. 29:13). Let your life say: “HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH!”

“The psalmist declares that everyone should praise God. If you breathe, you qualify! Everyone will praise God one day.“