Praise

Praise God with trumpet sound; praise God with lyre and harp

Praise God with Tambourine and dance; Praise God with strings and pipe.

Praise God with resounding cymbals; praise God with loud clanging cymbals

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord, Hallelujah!

We could conclude from the last few chapters of Psalms that all praise is noisy and boisterous. But worship can be expressed in quiet ways too. Few people think of Mary’s devotion as a description of praise, but the depth of Mary’s love for the Savior required an expression beyond mere words.

“Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, *said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?” Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. Therefore Jesus said, “Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial. For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.”

Desiring to give Jesus something of value, Mary broke a bottle of perfume worth a year’s wages. By breaking it, she held nothing in reserve and allowed the excess to fall onto the ground. The expense, the surprised stares of onlookers, and Judas’ snide remark meant nothing to her, compared with the value of having a Savior.

The whole house filled with the scent of Mary’s adoration. True praise permeates the atmosphere around us as well: we can sense when others are worshipping God, because our own soul is uplifted. Spending time with people who are surrendered to the Lord—who are praising Him through actions and service—lets us partake of their joy. Worshipping Him ourselves provides us with a full measure.

Believers express praise in numerous creative ways—singing, painting, taking a nature walk, or cleaning an elderly friend’s home. When we want to convey our devotion beyond mere words, we are not limited with regard to the manner of expression. The Father is pleased to accept genuine praise of all kinds.

Enjoy the rest of the Summer and find ways to express your own ways to express praise!

Blessings for the Journey!