The Triumph of Praise

Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and (glory) triumph in your praise. (Psalm 106:47)

Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph! For the LORD Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth. (Psalm 47:1-2)

Triumph! These two phrases: Triumph in your praise and with the voice of triumph really grabs my attention. What do praising the Lord and triumph have to do with each other?

The Hebrew word for triumph in Psalm 106 is shabach meaning to address in a loud tone, i.e. (specifically) loud; figuratively, to pacify (as if by words). In Psalm 47 triumph is the word rinnah which is a creaking or shrill sound, shout of joy, gladness, rejoicing, proclamation. This type of praise is LOUD! Loud worship, together with triumph, really brings the Lion of Judah's triumph to mind. (Revelation 5:5) The worship that encircles the throne is LOUD!

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang: Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise! Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever! The four living creatures said, Amen, and the elders fell down and worshiped. (Revelation 5:11-14)

Likewise, the worship at the wedding celebration of the Lamb is LOUD!

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear. (Revelation 19:6-8)

The fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.

Both of these celebrations encourage us to look forward to and rejoice in Christ's victory. This loud praise is a way to share in Christ's triumph on the cross (Colossians 2:15). It is a way to rejoice in the Lord for what He has already done and will do in the future. Are there times other than times of rejoicing in victory where this loud triumph praise would be used? Psalm 47 especially, links triumph with a loud shout, the sound of a trumpet and singing praise. The bible points to the trumpet being used both in times of rejoicing and in battle.

When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you, sound a blast on the trumpets. Then you will be remembered by the LORD your God and rescued from your enemies. Also at your times of rejoicing-your appointed feasts and New Moon festivals-you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the LORD your God. (Numbers 10:9-10)

What does this type of praise do? It greatly pleases God and invites Him into the situation:

I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving. This will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hoofs. (Psalm 69:30-31)

Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you inhabit the praise of Israel. (Psalm 22:3)

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. (James 4:7-8)

I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High. When my enemies turn back, They shall fall and perish at Your presence. (Psalm 9:2-3)

I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies. (2 Samuel 22:4, Psalm 18:3)

It brings deliverance and victory:

After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever. As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. ... ... ... Then, led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the LORD had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies. (2 Chronicles 20: 21-22, 27)

The voice of the LORD will shatter Assyria; with his scepter he will strike them down. Every stroke the LORD lays on them with his punishing rod will be to the music of tambourines and harps, as he fights them in battle with the blows of his arm. (Isaiah 30:31-32)

When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave a loud shout, the wall (Jericho)collapsed; so every man charged straight in, and they took the city. (Joshua 6:20)

Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose. (Acts 16:24-26)

You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. (Psalm 32:7)

It is a weapon for spiritual warfare:

Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples. (Psalm 149:6-7)

Whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would take his harp and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him. (1 Samuel 16:23)

It silences enemy forces:

From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. (Psalm 8:2, Matthew 21:16)

It counters the spirit of despair:

... and provide for those who grieve in Zion--to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. (Isaiah 61:3)

Have you ever thought of praise as a weapon to carry into battle? This type of triumph or victory praise invites God into the situation, intimidates the opponent and motivates God's people to move forward in Christ's victory. It puts the enemy on notice and looks forward to God's intervention on behalf of His people. The Hebrew word hallal is the essence of this type of praise. It means to make a show or rave about, to glory in or boast upon, to be clamorously foolish about your adoration of God. Hallal is the word for praise used in Psalm 150 - a good example of triumph praise.

Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament! Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness! Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp! Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes! Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!!! (Psalm 150:1-6)

Notice how David praises God for who He is, for His power and greatness and for all He has done. This is done in a loud, boastful way. Loud, boastful praise builds confidence and allows God to grow large in one's heart. It shifts one's focus from the battle to the Lord, reminding us that He is bigger than any battle, problem or circumstance. Knowing who God is and what He has already done, we can then go into any battle with the voice of triumph. We can join with Christ in advancement of His kingdom, looking forward to God's intervention. We can also look forward to the victory celebrations, where we will give thanks to His holy name and (glory) triumph in His praise.

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. (2 Corinthians 2:14)

Lord, help each of us praise You with the voice of triumph. Thank You for the victory we have in Christ's death on the cross and the victory we will share when He returns in glory. Let each heart give thanks to Your holy name and triumph in Your praise.

Voice of the Gospel Christian Radio - Radio Stimme des Evangeliums

Freitag, 22. Juni 2012

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. (James 4:7-8)

The Triumph of Praise

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