PRAISING GOD by Ellet Joseph Waggoner

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Aug 7, 1901

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 27, No. 32.

PRAISING GOD.

By Ellet Joseph Waggoner

WHOSO offereth the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifieth Me; and ‘prepareth a way that I may show him the salvation of God.’

Look in the margin of the Revised Version, and you will find this is the exact rendering of the words of the Lord, recorded in Ps. 50:23. That praise does reveal the salvation of God, is shown by the fact that God is our salvation, and that He dwells in the praises of His people. Ps. 22:3.

Praise is the way of salvation. “Out of the mouth of babes and ‘sucklings Thou hast perfected praise,’ ‘because of Thine enemies, ‘that Thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.’” Matt. 21:16; Ps. 8:2. Praise, therefore, is the weapon with which the weakest soul can silence and put to flight the adversary.

The only thing that anybody needs to do in order to be saved is to praise the Lord, and to keep on praising Him. Some one will say, “What about confessing our sins, and believing unto righteousness?” That is a part of praise. To confess our sins is to praise God’s Word of truth by agreeing with Him; and it is by the shining forth of our good works that men are led to glorify God. Our acceptance in the Beloved is “to the praise of the glory of His grace.” Eph. 1:5, 6.

But it is true of simple thanksgiving, that it is all that is necessary for salvation. Men who once knew God became heathen solely because “they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful.” Rom. 1:21. Let us see how it is that praise and thanksgiving open the way for God’s salvation.

It is very simple. Thanksgiving is an acknowledgment of favors received. It is the recognition that something has been done by another. It is plain, therefore, that if we “in everything give ‘thanks,’” we shall be continually recognizing and acknowledging God as the Maker and Upholder of all things—the Giver of every good and perfect gift. Now it is plain that nobody can continually recognize God in everything, and at the same time treat Him with indifference. For instance, nobody who appreciates the fact that every breath is the direct gift of God, can ever use his breath in blasphemy; and all who acknowledge that their life comes from Him and belongs to Him, must yield themselves wholly to Him, that He may do His own will in them. Thus to live in a state of constant thanksgiving is to share God’s salvation.

But can one continually thank God for life and its common blessings? Why not? His mercies are “new every morning;” and when we receive them as coming from Him, we shall not regard them as “common,” of trifling importance. In common politeness we thank a friend for favors done us, no matter how often they are repeated; and why should we not be as courteous to God? Whoever will recognize the simple truth of his own existence, is sure to be saved. Nothing more is required. Therefore, “Be careful for nothing; but in ‘everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your ‘requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which ‘passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through ‘Christ Jesus.’ So ‘let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. ‘Praise ye the Lord.’” E. J. WAGGONER.