What It Means to Praise God for Who He Is
Published May 13, 2020
When we praise someone, it’s mostly because of their achievements. We praise our athletes when they break world records. Even our politicians get recognition only when they do something that benefits us. Rarely do we ever praise someone for who they are.
Unfortunately, this habit also applies when we are praising god. We tend to recognize him when he has done something for us. But we rarely compliment him for being such a loving and merciful god.
The Bible says that we should praise God for who he is, especially in prayer. What does this mean? The book of Psalms has made it very clear in the following verses:
- Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness. (Psalm 29:2)
- For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; He is to be feared above all gods. (Psalm 96:4)
Praising God For What He Has Done Vs. Who He Is
Have you ever noticed that when we pray, we tend to thank God for all the blessings he has given us? Yet, we seldom thank Him for being the generous God that he is.
This is the difference between praising God for what He has done and praising Him for who he is. The former is an act of gratitude. It’s our way of thanking him. While the latter is that of adulation and admiration. It is given without asking anything in return.
Most of us think that thanking Him is the same as praising Him. No, they are actually two very different things.
Giving thanks is expressing our appreciation for everything we received from Him. While praise is acknowledging Him for who he is. Both are essential in prayer.
Think of it this way: if you only praise him for what he has done, you won’t be able to acknowledge Him during those days when nothing goes your way. You won’t feel his presence in the darkest days or appreciate his love when you have nothing.
Praising the Lord means acknowledging Him for all that He is. This means recognizing his goodness, grace, kindness, holiness, justice, and mercy among others. Beyond recognition, praising him also means proclaiming his glory in everything that we do.
So the next time you pray, ask yourself: what are you praising God for? Do you praise him because he’s fulfilled the desires of your heart or are you praising him because he alone fulfills you?
Praising God Is An Expression of Our Love for Him
Praising God is more than just expressing our admiration for him. It’s also our way of letting him know how much we love him.
Just like how a mother would praise her son despite him having mediocre grades or placing last in a contest. This is how she expresses her love for him. She did not praise her son for what he has done. Rather, you will hear her praising him about his perseverance or his sportsmanship. She did not do this out of pride for his achievements but for who he is as a person.
This is how it is with praising God too. We do it not because we can get something from him but because our hearts are full of love for him.
Getting to Know Him
We cannot truly praise God for who he is if we don’t know Him well enough. Just like you cannot offer sincere compliments to strangers. If you do, all your words will just be lip service.
Start by assessing your personal beliefs on him. Who is God to you personally? Is he your best friend, your protector, your shoulder to cry on? Is he all three?
We all have our own personal journey with God. Most of the time, our personal experience with him tells us way more about who he is than what others say about him. This is why we praise God for who he is, is a very personal and intimate affair. It should be done with all your heart in all your days and through all your deeds.
Seek a Deeper Connection with God and Join Lay Cistercians of South Florida
Lay Cistercians of South Florida, is a community of lay people who seeks to have a deeper connection with God by living a life inspired by the monks and nuns through Lay Monasticism. Learn more about what is a Lay Cistercian on our website. Anyone who aspires to do the same as us, and is a confirmed Catholic is welcome to join us! We meet every second Saturday of the month at Emmanuel Catholic Church in Delray Beach, Florida.
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About The Author
Judy Ponio is a professional writer for the Lay Cistercians blog and a devoted Catholic. She works hard to ensure her work uses accurate facts by cross checking reputable sources.
