A Blessed Mouthful
I don’t know if this is true for you, but I know for me - my lips are daily voicing my fears, worries, frustrations, disappointments, ways I feel offended, wants, and dreams.
Do you know what I’ve noticed is not naturally on my lips daily? The praise of God.
“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. ”
I do praise God. But I usually praise God in the moments that feel right. I praise God at church. I praise God when it feels like something is happening in my life. I praise God quietly in my heart when I spend time with Him in the Word.
But Charles Spurgeon says this about Psalm
“To bless the Lord is never unseasonable.”
Spurgeon’s insight into this verse also pointed out that David is talking about audible praise here.
So much of my praise, thankfulness, and joy in the Lord are held within my heart. If I’m honest, I’m uncomfortable with praising God audibly every day. There is a stupid resistance in me to praising God audibly. It’s like I’m afraid of being weird - but what’s weird in light of who He is and all that He has done and is doing - is NOT having the praise of God pouring from my mouth.
I want to fight against this stupid resistance because God is worthy of my audible praise every day. And because voicing praise is what Spurgeon would call “a blessed mouthful.” Praising God reorients me to the truest reality. Praising God brings comfort, relief, and joy - it’s purifying and perfuming.
If you feel led to do so, maybe you could join me in paying closer attention to the audible praise of God in your life. For 30 days, I’m aiming to intentionally and audibly express praise of God and to God. Maybe that looks like expressing my delight in God to another person. Maybe I praise him throughout my week in song.
I just know that I want His praise to continually be on my lips.
