THERE is no book of the New Testament so full of praise, and the spirit of praise, as the gospel by Luke. As Genesis is the record of the birth of the old creation, so the gospel by Luke is the minute and interesting account of the birth of Him who is “the beginning of the creation of God.” Did “the morning stars sing together, and all the sons of God shout for joy, when He laid the foundations of the earth and the corner stone thereof”? (Job 38:77When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy? (Job 38:7).) So when His new creation was begun in the person of His glorious Son, “a multitude of the heavenly host praised God, and said, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” The book begins with praise, and alludes to it verbally five or six times, and in sentiment many more times, and ends by “they worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God.” Natal joy seems to pervade this inspired writing of the evangelist, and gives peculiar freshness and vigor to its contents. Should not the praise and joy thus commenced in connection with Him who is emphatically “the beginning,” be continued in His members? Am I, a member of Christ, the exalted One in glory, to be found hanging down my head like a bulrush? He who hath redeemed us will by-and-by lead the praises of His Church— “In the midst of the Church will I sing praise unto thee.” We do not find praise so much in the New Testament as a marked feature in the Old—the gospel of Luke is rather an exception. The reason is, doubtless, that the spirit and practice of thanksgiving, praise, and worship, are mature fruits of the Holy Ghost’s operations in the new nature, brought only, not by exhortation, but the soul’s discovery of a rich, spiritual, practical exercise. How often do the richest gems of truth lie scattered over the sacred volume! and found only by those who will profit by them, who are earnest, experienced searchers in the soil; but, when found and put into use, are discovered to be a grand secret of inestimable value. We pray, and ask, and seek, and sometimes are impatient in our importunity. Very blessed and very right to pray— “Pray without ceasing;” but I have too tried the more excellent way of praise, of thanksgiving. Have we cultivated a spirit of direct praise to the Lord? rejoicing in the Lord always? in everything giving thanks? for “this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” If we have, the testimony must be, and is, that the more we have praised Him and blessed Him, the more reason has He given us to thank Him and praise Him. For every blessing we have given Him thanks, He has added further mercies for which to thank Him; commencing in our souls with a rill of thankfulness, it has grown a river of praise and joy. We have found that mere asking and receiving are incipient blessings, an early fruit of redemption; but thanking and praising have superseded, in many ways, prayer, (blessed as that is,) by our gracious Lord “daily loading us with tender mercies, even the God of our salvation.” We have found, and every saint sincerely practicing it will find, that his desires are forestalled, his highest hopes accomplished beforehand, through the exercise of a thankful heart. “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth Me.” He will soon be able to say, “I have all, and abound; I am full.” He will soon know what it is to want a larger heart—more room to give place to the blessings descending in such copious abundance. As God abhors murmuring, complaining, so He delights in praise and thankfulness.
A more practical, precious, and spiritual truth cannot be brought to our notice than praise. Try it. Prove God herewith, and see if He will not pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it. It is a medicine, really and truly. A large part of our sufferings arise from too exclusively cultivating an asking, and, therefore, in a sense, an unsatisfied frame, and neglecting our mercies. Bless God for the first mercy you have, or can think of, and be assured another is not far off. It is a perfect cure for melancholy and depression. It helps wonderfully mind and body, without money and without price; and specially in this connection is it most precious, because, in the attitude of praise, and in its exercise, we are placed entirely out of the reach of the adversary, whose influence is ever exerted to depress, deprive, hurt, and destroy, but “out of the mouths of babes and suckling’s thou hast perfected praise.” Why? “That thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.” He who is praising is out of his sphere and influence. The enemy is compelled to be still as a stone; he can make nothing of the one who is occupied in praise; he can only stand by in silence. What a marvelous truth! What a spiritual fact! The adversary can divert during prayer—cause wandering thoughts; but whilst praising he is kept at a distance; he cannot enter the sanctuary or sphere; there is full deliverance from his darts, and thrusts, and suggestions. I say, who can estimate the value of this fact, only known to the habitually praiseful, thankful soul? Try it, and great will be your joy, success, prosperity, and praise.
Thank the Lord for every saint you know. Praise Him for all saints. Bless Him for Himself, His word, His cross, His table. Rejoice for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Bless Him for daily mercies, for the assembly of the saints, for every truth that edifies, for every ministry He owns. “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice,”