Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.
This psalm belongs to a group of psalms connected with the return from Babylonian captivity under Cyrus, reflecting the mingled joy, sorrow and anxiety of the returning exiles over the building and dedication of the second temple and the triumphs connected with it. To sing praises to God is good and pleasant, and praise itself is fitting, comely and beautiful. It is a joyful act of devotion, and such devotion brings both pleasure and benefit.
Praise remains fitting even in the face of great suffering, for Jesus sang praise before betrayal and the suffering of the cross while trusting in his wise and good Father. Singing praise in severe trouble brings help and joy and expresses faith in God's goodness, strength, salvation and enduring mercy, as seen when Paul and Silas sang while imprisoned. The same help belongs to those who, like David, trust God to keep them in the day of trouble. True thanksgiving lifts the heart, so thanks should be given even amid sorrow by noticing small mercies rather than giving way to self-pity, for God's dealings are loving and he restrains affliction.
Praise can be a continual response even in hardship, since trusting Jesus gives strength and comfort, and praising God for his care and leading glorifies him and can lead others to trust him. The call to praise accords with gratitude for salvation from sin through Christ, the abiding presence of the Comforter, and the hope of heaven without sorrow or pain. Gratitude for God's goodness in leading people from error into light prompts the good and pleasant singing of praise. Praise is acceptable to God as an expression of love in song, and expressing love in this way helps prepare believers to encourage others in their struggles against evil.
The verse calls believers to praise God and bless his holy name, so that those who hope in him abound in praise and speak often of his great goodness. When the Spirit moves the heart to praise, that praise needs to flow out and should not be restrained, since restraining it may harm spiritual comfort. The declaration that praise is comely also supports giving commendation where it is due.
This psalm belongs to a group of psalms connected with the return from Babylonian captivity under Cyrus, reflecting the mingled joy, sorrow and anxiety of the returning exiles over the building and dedication of the second temple and the triumphs connected with it. To sing praises to God is good and pleasant, and praise itself is fitting, comely and beautiful. It is a joyful act of devotion, and such devotion brings both pleasure and benefit.
Praise remains fitting even in the face of great suffering, for Jesus sang praise before betrayal and the suffering of the cross while trusting in his wise and good Father. Singing praise in severe trouble brings help and joy and expresses faith in God's goodness, strength, salvation and enduring mercy, as seen when Paul and Silas sang while imprisoned. The same help belongs to those who, like David, trust God to keep them in the day of trouble. True thanksgiving lifts the heart, so thanks should be given even amid sorrow by noticing small mercies rather than giving way to self-pity, for God's dealings are loving and he restrains affliction.
Praise can be a continual response even in hardship, since trusting Jesus gives strength and comfort, and praising God for his care and leading glorifies him and can lead others to trust him. The call to praise accords with gratitude for salvation from sin through Christ, the abiding presence of the Comforter, and the hope of heaven without sorrow or pain. Gratitude for God's goodness in leading people from error into light prompts the good and pleasant singing of praise. Praise is acceptable to God as an expression of love in song, and expressing love in this way helps prepare believers to encourage others in their struggles against evil.
The verse calls believers to praise God and bless his holy name, so that those who hope in him abound in praise and speak often of his great goodness. When the Spirit moves the heart to praise, that praise needs to flow out and should not be restrained, since restraining it may harm spiritual comfort. The declaration that praise is comely also supports giving commendation where it is due.