O My Soul
My soul, praise the LORD,
And all that is within me, praise His holy name.
My soul, praise the LORD,
And do not forget all His benefits.
Psalm 103:1-2
Intelligent praise honors God. The words “My soul,” refers to thoughtful praise that takes into account His blessings and attributes, praise that is not built upon a fanciful or self-centered interpretation of who one may want God to be, or wish He had been, but praise that is built upon the reality of God and the biblical revelation of who He is.
But intelligent praise also brings up from the heart our emotions and deepest thoughts, “all that is within me.” When we are grounded in the truth we are free to let the Word and the Spirit search our souls. We can take every thought captive to the will of God and the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). For a believer the biblical revelation does not block our feelings, rather it allows us to release them in the praise of God. And as we praise Him every other thing on earth grows dim at first, then brighter than it would have otherwise, for every thought and relationship in life is better understood and more deeply appreciated when God is given His rightful place in our hearts and minds.
Sentimental religion is the faith that takes human emotions and values and slops on a coat of gushy Christianity over the top. It may use biblical words and thoughts but it fails to satisfy the Christian conscience or measure up to the true biblical standard. Often it ruins the territory of the heart when for generations people have associated Christ and His work with mostly human feelings with the merest veneer of Christianity.
Ground your thoughts in the biblical Christ, in the true revelation of God. God will allow plenty of room for sentiment and emotion; He knows that we are beings with deep emotions. In fact, it would be wrong not to praise God with all that is within us.
Prayer:
Lord, let us be drawn to the purest worship of You. May Your goodness and greatness shine brighter than every earthly thing. May we find in You the center of all life. Amen.