If we love God, we will praise God, because, as affirmed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (2639), praise is the form of prayer which recognizes most immediately that God is God. It lauds God for His own sake and gives Him glory, quite beyond what He does, but simply because HE IS. It shares in the blessed happiness of the pure of heart, who love God in faith before seeing Him in glory. By praise, the Spirit (Holy Spirit) is joined to our spirits to bear witness that we are children of God, testifying to the only Son in whom we are adopted and by whom we glorify God. Praise embraces the other forms of prayer and carries them toward Him who is its source and goal: the one God Almighty, from whom are all things and for whom we exist (CCC, 2639).

When we praise someone, that praise lifts the person, it enhances them. Praise benefits the receiver. However, when we praise God, it benefits the giver, because, we cannot add anything to God. When we praise God, the praise, sort of, bounces off God and we become the recipient, not of the praise we give Him, but the grace that God gives us in return.

You may wonder how can praising God activate grace in our life. Now, we know that grace is the supernatural power of God. Grace enables us to do all that we cannot do in our own efforts. Praise, directed to God, activates grace in our lives, because, to genuinely praise God, we must acknowledge His omnipotence.  Praise requires humility, to say in the presence of multitudes that God you are great, holy, and worthy of all praises. Praise requires us to decrease and God to increase. It requires a child-like faith and attitude. This kind of self unworthiness attracts God’s grace upon our lives.

We must praise God, not just to receive His many graces, but we must praise God because we genuinely love Him.

1 Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord from the heavens;

praise him in the heights!

2 Praise him, all his angels;

praise him, all his host!

3 Praise him, sun and moon;

praise him, all you shining stars!

4 Praise him, you highest heavens,

and you waters above the heavens!

5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,

for he commanded and they were created.

6 He established them forever and ever;

he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.

7 Praise the Lord from the earth,

you sea monsters and all deeps,

8 fire and hail, snow and frost,

stormy wind fulfilling his command!

9 Mountains and all hills,

fruit trees and all cedars!

10 Wild animals and all cattle,

creeping things and flying birds!

11 Kings of the earth and all peoples,

princes and all rulers of the earth!

12 Young men and women alike,

old and young together!

13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,

for his name alone is exalted;

his glory is above earth and heaven.

14 He has raised up a horn for his people,

praise for all his faithful,

for the people of Israel who are close to Him.

Praise the Lord! (Psalms 148:1-14)

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