Perpetual Worship

“I will praise the Lord at all times. His praise will continually be on my lips.” (Psalm 34:1)

Worship should continually spring from the depth of our souls. But that’s not always the case, is it?

Consider this person’s story: “My family was going through an unsettling time with jobs and finances. It had been a difficult week, but I was in church on Sunday, joining with the others in the congregation in singing the beautiful song, ‘Ever Be’ by Bethel Music. I heard myself singing the words, ‘Your praise shall ever be on my lips,’ when I realized that, in the past week, I had actually whined and complained much more than I had praised. I wasn’t singing the truth. Tears began to fall, and I asked God to put praise back in my heart and on my lips.”

Can you identify? Do you ever find yourself complaining or criticizing more than you praise?

The Bible tells us that heaven will be filled with spontaneous worship, shouts of the worthiness of God and the Lamb. Revelation 4:10-11 gives us an example: “…They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, ‘Worthy are you, our Lord and God to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things and by your will they existed and were created.’”

Heaven is a place of worship. Really, how could we not worship when we see God sitting in the throne room of heaven? When we come face to face with Jesus, who redeemed us with his own blood? When everything we hoped for becomes a reality?

But should it be any different here? Praise and worship should continuously flow throughout the earth from the lips of those who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus. The Lord’s prayer says, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). There should be spontaneous, heartfelt worship on earth just as there is spontaneous, heartfelt worship in heaven.

What has been on our lips this past week? Has it been more worship and praise, or more criticism and complaints? Friend, God is worthy of our worship, in good times as well as difficult times. As we praise God here on earth, we prepare for that glorious day when our voices join the throng of worshippers gathered in the throne room of heaven. What a day that’s going to be!

Lord God, you are so worthy of my praise. I repent of the times when worship has been far from my heart and not at all on my lips. Fill my heart with a revelation of your holiness and power. Remind me of how you rescued me. I praise you for your faithfulness, your forgiveness, and your never-failing love. In Jesus’s name, amen.