Praise“ Is Found Well Over 200 Times in the Old and the New Testament
All Creation Testifies of God’s Greatness In the beginning God… Genesis 1:1 Last week we learned that the word “praise“ is found well over 200 times in the Old and the New Testament. Songs of praise are prevalent throughout the Book of Psalms and songwriters of yesteryears and today provide lyrics through which worshippers have lifted voices to honor and extol the love and wonders of Almighty God. Whether the praise emanates from a psalm, a traditional hymn, or contemporary Gospel, the message of praise is to the only wise God who loves, protects, and provides for all His creation. Yet praise extends beyond songs or hymns. When used as a noun, praise expresses a favorable judgment of or glorifies (a god or saint) especially by the acknowledgment of perfections (The 2019 online 2019 Merriam-Webster dictionary). As a noun the same dictionary defines praise as an expression of approval, commendation, worship, value, or merit. All Nature Praises God At this very moment and into eternity, God is praised! Throughout all creation, nature displays the wonders of God and each element of creation praises God in its unique way. In heaven, God is continually worshiped as angels and seraphim in heaven never stop glorifying Him (Psalm 103:20; Isaiah 2—3; Luke 2:14; 15:10; Hebrews 1:6). Throughout this lesson, the words nature and creation will be used interchangeably. Also, creation includes more than just nature (such as land, sea, plants, animals, and weather). The word creation also includes spiritual forces which are invisible to us, while nature speaks of what we can see.
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