Is God forcing us to praise Him?

Does God need our praise, can’t He do without it? Why are we told to praise Him? Or maybe it is us who need to praise Him, is it?

I don’t know about you but as far as I am concerned I feel so disgusted when someone simply demands recognition without any support, without being worthy of it. Respect has to be earned and as humans we must respect each human being ,however, the Nobel prize should only go to the person who deserves it!

No, God is not forcing us to praise Him even if He indeed deserves all science and peace prizes of the Universe as He invented everything!

"You are worthy, our LORD and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being" (Revelation 4:11).

It is obvious that people all around the globe have two choices: to decide to recognize God or to live without Him. If God had created us with the only option- that of praising Him- it would have made us some "robots" programmed from the start with a certain "software", the "holly software". So, no, we are not forced to praise God, we can choose which way to follow.

But does God need our praise?

Would a self-sufficient God need something? Can’t He do without human praise?

First, we need to realize that giving thanks for what we received from God is different from praising Him. To praise God means to acknowledge God for who He is, for His attributes while thanks giving is connected to what He has done for us, what He gave us.

The God who created everything does not need our praise; He can do very well without it!

It is we who need to praise Him! While praising Him we reinforce in our minds and hearts the fact that we indeed have an almighty Father who performs miracles! He is after all a supernatural God!

It is through praise that we can trade death for life, bondage for freedom, and sorrow for joy because the Bible says that God dwells in the midst of praise! "But you are holy, you who inhabit the praises of Israel" (Psalm 22:3) .

Consequently, if we long to see an understandable and clear demonstration of God's grace and presence, all we have to do is to praise Him with our entire being: heart, mind, and soul.

Can one always praise the Lord?

"I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips (Psalm 34:1)."

Who thinks of praising when your own life is threatened? Who can praise God when things seem to be out of control? David did! "I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips (Psalm 34:1)."

When enemies attack, look at the result praise brings! "I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies" (2 Samuel 22:4).

As long as we breathe we should praise God. Psalm 150:6 states:" Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord".

If you are still alive, you have the honor of praising God and this will release strength in your faith, which will determine God to move on your behalf. "From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger" (Psalm 8:2).

The spiritual environment is obviously changed when God is praised. Look what happened in the temple while the singers (Levites) worshiped God: "The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang: 'He is good; his love endures forever.' Then the temple of the LORD was filled with a cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God." 2 Chronicles 5:13-14 God literally came in there! He indeed dwells in the midst of praise! What a privilege for us to feel His holly presence and be blessed by Him!

"Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands" (Psalm 63:3-4).

So regardless of good or bad in our life, the first thing we as Christians should do is to praise our almighty God! He deserves it; He conquered our hearts with His love! Praised be His holly name forever!