How we should praise the Lord

Psalm 150:1-6 (NASB)

Praise the Lord!  Praise God in His sanctuary.  Praise Him in His mighty expanse.  Praise Him for His mighty deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.  Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre.  Praise Him with timbrel and dancing;  Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe.  Praise Him with loud cymbals;  Praise Him with resounding cymbals.  Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.  Praise the Lord! 

Psalm 150 is the last Psalm.  Since there are 150 psalms, you could read through the Book of Psalms in one month by reading 5 psalms a day for 30 days (although day 23 would be a challenge with Psalm 119 containing 176 verses!).  Appropriately, the 150^th Psalm focuses on praising God.  You might be able to find the “five Ws” of a good news story in this passage (what, when, where, why, and how).

What---Praise the Lord God.  Praising God involves thinking of Him rather than yourself.  Praising God involves thinking and meditating and acknowledging all that He has done for you.

When—As long as you are breathing.

Where---We praise God during a worship service in His sanctuary, but we also should praise God everywhere else (His mighty expanse).

Why—Because of His mighty deeds.  What are they in your life?  Think of all His creation including you and your loved ones; think of all the Bible says about Him, especially His power and miracles; think about all your blessings, especially health, home, family, and freedom; and think about His spiritual blessings, summarized in Ephesians 1:3-14.

How—With your voice, your body, your life, and with musical instruments; no need to be quiet about it.

Various biblical references and websites list seven Hebrew words for praise.  Carman  (http://www.geocities.com/ourallinall/sevenwaystopraise.htm) wrote the meaning of these seven words of praise.  I am repeating Carman’s words below along with some biblical verses (and other commentary) where each of these Hebrew words of praise are found.  

Seven Ways to Praise
 by Carman

Way back in the Bible, the Hebrew language says
 that we were taught that we could praise the Lord in seven ways.
 Seven great expressions, seven different flows, seven even ways to worship God and this is how it goes.

Number one is Towdah (e.g. Ps 50:14, 95:2; Jer 33:11 [second praise]).  It's the sacrifice of
praising God in spite the fact your world is in a vice. It's praise that pushes through the wall of all adversity 
an offering that flows to heaven in our time of need. Our word "hallelujah" comes from this base word.  New Testament verses that have this same meaning for praise: Col 4:2, I Tim 4:4-5.

Number two is Yadah (e.g. Ps 22:2, 27:1, 28:7, 33:2, 42:5, 44:8, 63:1,5, 69:30, 100:4, 134:2, 141:2, Jer 33:11 [first praise], II Chron 20:21) that means to lift your hands in response to what the Lord has done throughout the land. 
An outward sign of what's inside for all the world to see
a demonstration of our love so come praise the Lord with me.

Number three is Barak/Barouch (e.g. Psalm 34:1, 95:60, 23, 103:1-2, II Ch 29:20) that simply means to bow or kneel down
 in the awesome presence of the Lord and all His power, to just be overwhelmed cause you hardly can believe 
that you've been given favor by His Holy Majesty.

This fourth one is Shabach (e.g. Psalm 47:1, 63:1-4, 106:47,117:1,145:4, Isa 12:6).  It is what we call the shout. 
It's praise that's given way before the answer comes about 
a public testimony that drowns out all the noise
 of whiners and complainers, even the devil himself, as the saints all lift their voice.

Number five is Zamar (e.g. Psalm 21:13, 57:8-9, 66:2-4, 81:1-3, 92:1-3, II Chron 16:9).  This one you'll like for sure because it's playing any instrument that glorifies the Lord
.  Instruments that blast, instruments that strum
, instruments that keep the beat, so I'll praise Him on my drum.

Six we call Halell/Halal (e.g. Psalm 22:22-26, 113:1-3, 150:1, 104 though 106) that means to rave and boast
.  And praise the Lord in such a way that gets you on your toes.  
It's beyond just clapping hands,  The word “hallelujah” comes from this base word.  But best of all, this is the one that makes you want to dance.

Finally seven is the best--Tehillah (e.g. Psalm 22:3, 33:1, 34:1, 40:3, 66:2, 100:4, Isa 61:3, II Chron 20:22). 
It's the one that is the combination of the rest
.  It's singing and it's shouting, it's dancing and it's more.  
It's wild, it's fun so everyone rejoice before the Lord.

As you study and think about these different Hebrew expression for praising the Lord, what best describes your way of praising Him?  Also, reflect on this passage from Ephesians 3:20-21 that gives me great reason to praise the Lord: Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.