Praise and worship is an integral part of our services and church events today. We sing songs of praise and glory magnifying Him and His works but does He really need our praises?

No He doesn’t!

Even if we don’t praise Him, the Bible tells us that creation will worship Him and praise Him for His splendor (Psalm 148). This is also perfectly shown in Luke 19:40 where Jesus responded to the Pharisees who were asking Him to rebuke His disciples as he rode triumphantly into Jerusalem “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!” God doesn’t need our praises, Acts 17:24-25 tells us “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is  Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands, nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things”. 

We see however in the Bible many instances where we are encouraged to worship God, for example throughout the Psalms. All these boil down to the fact that the psalmist knows the undeniable truth - that only He is worthy to be worshipped and praised. Our human nature is to praise and be in awe when we see something beautiful, good or excellent, and that is why we praise Him. Praising Him is our natural response to His beauty, goodness and splendor.

“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”

Revelation 4:11

I worship Him because I have experienced His greatness, His power, His might. It’s all around us in creation but it’s also in the things we experience in daily life which if we don’t count our blessings, we may take for granted. Being safe and healthy in this time, having my loved ones around me and blessed that I can attend church without persecution. 

“But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshippers.”

John 4:23

God bless you,
Phua Su Ann
Head (Creative & Corporate Communications), The Encounter