Continual Praise: Our Duty and Delight – Psalm 34.1-3
I will bless the LORD at all times;
Psalm 34.1-3
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make its boast in the LORD;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
And let us exalt His name together.
Continual Praise?
In the opening verses of Psalm 34 David invites believers to live in continual praise of God. David doesn’t merely suggest occasional worship or gratitude, he declares,
I will bless the Lord at all times.
This is a personal commitment to an ongoing life of praise.
There are all sorts of questions we have as we read these verses.
What does it mean to bless the Lord? Shouldn’t we be asking for His blessing?
How can I praise Him continually? Am I suppose to sing all day long while I’m at work?
But one thing we do know, these verses express that for every Christian, it is both an obligation and a privilege to praise the Lord.
Continual Praise – Who?
We’re going to spend more than one episode answering the questions this text raises, but let’s begin by asking the most basic question: Who is doing the blessing and praising?
The answer is simple: Christians are.
Those who have placed their hope and trust in Christ have the privilege of praising Him. Praise is not the domain of angels alone. It is our calling and our joy.
Notice the personal nature of David’s words:
I – my – my – me
These pronouns remind us that praise is first and foremost a personal act. While corporate worship and collective exaltation are vital (and David will get to that in verse 3), continual praise begins in the heart of the individual. The Christian life is not a spectator sport. It calls for active participation, with our hearts, voices, and minds engaged to actively praise and worship our God.
I must praise Him, not simply watch another do so. My heart must be taken up with adoration, my lips must proclaim His greatness.
Think about the weight of this privilege. The One whom we are invited to worship is not a distant or indifferent deity. He is the sovereign Creator of the universe. He spoke galaxies into existence. He set the sun, moon, and stars in their courses. He filled the oceans, shaped the mountains, and gave life to every creature. Yet, He is not only the God of the vast and the infinite; He is also the God of the near and the intimate.
Colossians 1:16-17 reminds us:
For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. [Colossians 1.16-17]
This verse not only proclaims Christ as Creator but also as Sustainer.
The breath in our lungs, the beating of our hearts, the rising of the sun; these are all possible because His sovereign will holds the universe together. And this staggering truth drives home the point that we, as His creatures, are obligated to worship our Creator.
The Obligation of Praise
The psalmist says,
I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
These are not passive words. There is an intentionality here. Praise is a daily discipline, a conscious turning of the heart to God in every circumstance.
This obligation isn’t a burden, rather, it’s life-giving. God commands us to praise Him not because He needs our approval, but because we need to delight our hearts in His glory. Praise redirects our focus from self to Savior, from problems to promises, from the temporal to the eternal.
Consider the challenges of life: sorrow, uncertainty, and the constant pressures of the world. Continual praise doesn’t ignore these realities. Instead, it acknowledges the greatness of God in the midst of them. It is precisely when life hurts the most that praise is most vital. It lifts our perspective above our immediate troubles and reminds us that our God reigns.
Hebrews 13:15 encourages us:
Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
Notice the word “sacrifice.” Sometimes praise will cost us. It may require a surrender of pride, comfort, or our desires. But as we choose to bless the Lord in every season, we experience the joy and peace that surpass understanding.
The Privilege of Praise
Praise is more than merely an obligation though. It’s also a great privilege.
The privilege of praise is rooted in the gospel, the promise of salvation by faith in Christ. This is personal. Particular people are saved, not a nebulous and undefined group.
My sin once separated me from this holy God. I was spiritually dead, unable and unwilling to glorify Him in truth. But through the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ, I have been redeemed, reconciled, and adopted as a child of God. Now, instead of standing condemned, I stand clothed in Christ’s righteousness, invited into God’s presence with confidence.
Unless I believe this in my heart, I cannot praise God. The same is true for you.
But what an incredible privilege it is for sinners such as you and I to praise our Savior and and our God! What a privilege that, because of Christ’s redeeming blood, our God should be pleased with our praise!
We don’t praise Him as we should. Our hearts are not whole toward Him, but stained with sin. Our minds are not fixed on Him, but distracted by the cares of this world. Our mouths are not filled with His praise, but with fleeting and unimportant words.
We deserve only wrath, yet by faith in Christ we are redeemed, cleansed, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, and the continual intercession of Christ, our feeble praise is perfected so it’s acceptable in God’s sight.
Recognizing this transforms praise from obligation into overflowing gratitude. The more we understand the depths of God’s love and the magnitude of His grace, the more our hearts will respond with sincere worship. Praise will become not just a duty, but the most natural expression of our joy.
Our Ultimate Purpose
Psalm 34 reminds us of the purpose for which each one of us was created, worship of the true and living God.
So let us embrace both the obligation and privilege of personally praising our Maker. He alone is worthy, and in Him alone we find life, hope, and everlasting joy. If you are Christ’s by faith, then it is your duty and delight to praise your God. With David, let every Christians say:
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Discussion
[1] How can embracing personal praise of God change the way you respond to the difficulties and challenges of life?
- it shifts your focus from immediate problems to the greatness and sovereignty of God, and provides perspective in the midst of trials
- it serves to remind you that God is in control, even when circumstances are difficult
- it produces peace by changing the meditation of the heart from anxiety to joy
[2] In what ways does understanding the privilege of praising God, despite our weaknesses, change the way we approach worship?
- it makes our worship more thankful and humble
- it makes worship personal, it’s not something I attend or watch, but something I do
- it allows us to worship with boldness, trusting in Christ’s righteousness
- it makes our worship a response to God’s mercy and grace, which means it begins with God, His Word, and His works — not something we do as a rote ritual or formula
Coffee Talk: Brance and Lauren talk about the pleasure of warm cup of coffee in your hand on a cool day.
Defining Theology: Brance and Lauren define and discuss the theological term General Revelation.
Resources Mentioned: