Delightsome Agbabo

And these are the singers ... they were employed in that work day and night.” 1 Chronicles 9:33 Well was it so ordered in the temple that the sacred chant never ceased: for evermore did the singers praise the Lord, whose mercy endureth for ever. As mercy did not cease to rule either by day or by night, so neither did music hush its holy ministry. My heart, there is a lesson sweetly taught to thee in the ceaseless song of Zion’s temple, thou too art a constant debtor, and see thou to it that thy gratitude, like charity, never faileth. God’s praise is constant in heaven, which is to be thy final dwelling-place, learn thou to practise the eternal hallelujah. Around the earth as the sun scatters his light, his beams awaken grateful believers to tune their morning hymn, so that by the priesthood of the saints perpetual praise is kept up at all hours, they swathe our globe in a mantle of thanksgiving, and girdle it with a golden belt of song. The Lord always dese...

P raise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.  Psalm 147:1 Praise is beautiful! Witness the words of the angel when delivering God’s message of salvation to the world, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:14). Hear Scripture’s testimony of the shepherds, “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen” (v. 20). They heard the angels, and they saw Jesus! After Pentecost the disciples were “praising God” in the midst of the joyous birthing of the church (Acts 2:47). The lame man was healed, and he was “walking, leaping, and praising God” (Acts 3:8). But, that is not all!  The Disciples praised God in times of distress. Paul and Silas were incarcerated in a Philippian jail. They were taken to court, beaten with many stripes, thrust into the inner prison, feet in stocks,...

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His court with praise. Be thankful to Him and bless his name. -Psalm 100:4 Psalm 100 commands us to make a joyful noise, serve the Lord, come into His presence, enter His gates, give thanks to Him, and bless His name. These commands are based on timeless truths. God made us, and we are His people. The Lord is good. His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness is to all generations. Our ability to praise, serve, or enjoy God’s presence flows out of our understanding of who God is and who we are in relation to Him.   Everything I am is due to Him. My worship, service, and fellowship with the Creator is dependent upon self-understanding. How can I praise when I am still the center of my own world?  And not knowing the Lord hinders my worship. How can I praise whom I fear? Or bless One whom I think is evil? Or thank One whom I think is unreasonable? To bless and serve the Lord, I must know Him! Here is our prior...

I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High. -Psalm 7:17  This short passage contains two vital truths about praise and how we can apply it when we face temptation or the enemy’s assault.  First, praise is the answer when wickedness and iniquity come against the believer. Temptation to sin and live wickedly will soon disappear in the face of sincere, powerful, and audible praise. This will not only bring the glorious presence of Jesus, but will drive out the desire to identify with the sinful act or thought. Psalm 18:3 says, “I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies.” The adversary cannot stand in the face of our praise.   Second, in verse 17 the writer declares, “I will praise the Lord.” Praise is an act of the will. It is not merely an exuberance overflowing with words, but a self-induced declaration of thanksgiving, a sac...