“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess His name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased” (Hebrews 13:15-16).
Father, help us when we struggle with praise. You are worthy of all praise, all honor, all glory. You are the "one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all" (Ephesians 4:6). You are holy and pure, righteous and true. You are faithful and loving, kind and compassionate. We have no adequate words or language to praise You.
But we confess that sometimes our hearts are too dull, too cold, too callous, too indifferent. Or our souls are downcast and burdened, weary and weighed down with care. Give us "songs in the night" (Job 35:10; Psalm 77:6). Help us to turn our eyes to You, to lift up our souls to You (Psalm 25:1 NKJV).
Father, help us, through Jesus, and by the power of the Holy Spirit to continually offer to You a sacrifice of praise. Let our lips sing from the overflow of our hearts, openly professing the name and the power of our Lord Jesus. Give us psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Teach us to "sing and make music from [our] heart to the Lord" (Ephesians 5:19).
We know from Your Word, O Lord, that You move in mighty ways when we praise.You defeat enemies (2 Chronicles 20:22; Psalm 8:2; Psalm 18:3). You bring release from darkness and captivity (Acts 16:25-26). You visit us with Your glory (2 Chronicles 5:12-14).
Teach us O Lord to "ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; [to] bring an offering and come before Him. [To] Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness (1 Chronicles 16:29; Psalm 29:2). Teach us to say, like the psalmist, "My mouth is filled with Your praise, declaring Your splendor all day long" (Psalm 71:8).
Our God and Father, "may [our] prayer[s] be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of [our] hands be like the evening sacrifice" (Psalm 141:2). And may we "not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased” (Hebrews 13:16).
Come Thou fount of every blessing
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace
Streams of mercy never ceasing
Call for songs of loudest praise
Teach me some melodious sonnet Sung by flaming tongues above Praise the mount, I'm fixed upon it Mount of Thy redeeming love
Oh, to grace how great a debtor
Daily I'm constrained to be
Let Thy goodness like a fetter
Bind my wandering heart to Thee
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here's my heart, oh take and seal it
Seal it for Thy courts above
~ Robert Robinson ~ Written 1758
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