Practically Incorporating Verbal Praise into Daily Life
Verbal praise, in a biblical context, encompasses both the direct adoration of God and the edifying speech directed toward others. The Psalms frequently express a desire for one's mouth to be filled with God's praise "all the day long" [1, 2]. This suggests a continuous posture of verbal acknowledgment of God's righteousness and glory [1, 4]. John Gill notes that for the mouth to be filled with God's praise indicates a heart deeply affected by divine goodness, leading to public and delightful expressions of God's perfections and benefits [4].
Beyond direct praise of God, the Bible also emphasizes the power of verbal affirmation and encouragement among people. Proverbs highlights the health-giving quality of "gentle, kind words" that soothe the mind [3]. Conversely, "hidden, unexpressed love has no value" [9], implying that love, to be effective, often requires verbal articulation. The book of Proverbs also notes that a "good word" can bring comfort [10]. This principle extends to marital relationships, where a husband's verbal praise of his wife's virtuous character is depicted as significant [7].
The New Testament further encourages believers to "exhort one another daily" [8]. This exhortation can involve discussing divine matters, praying together, instructing each other in Gospel doctrines, reminding one another of God's promises, and anticipating eternal happiness with Christ [8]. While ministers have a primary role in exhortation, this practice is not exclusive to them but is a mutual responsibility among believers [8].
Incorporating verbal praise into daily life, therefore, involves cultivating a habit of acknowledging God's goodness and expressing appreciation and encouragement to those around us. This can manifest in various ways:
- Daily adoration of God: This includes spontaneous expressions of gratitude and worship throughout the day, not limited to formal prayer times. The Psalmist's desire for his "tongue... to utter thy righteousness... All the day long" [1] illustrates this continuous verbal acknowledgment.
- Affirming others: Speaking words of kindness, comfort, and praise to family, friends, and colleagues. Proverbs suggests that such words contribute to well-being and demonstrate love [3, 9, 10].
- Mutual encouragement: Actively participating in conversations that build up and instruct fellow believers, reminding them of God's truths and promises [8].
The Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, despite its reflections on life's futility, repeatedly concludes with the idea that enjoying life, including food, drink, and work, as gifts from God, is a proper response [5, 6]. This enjoyment is not about pursuing pleasure for its own sake but finding satisfaction in daily activities [6]. This perspective can inform verbal praise by fostering a grateful outlook that naturally leads to expressing thanks for daily blessings.
Sources
- Psalms “Psalms 35:28 (Rotherham) — Mine own tongue also, shall softly utter thy righteousness,—All the day long,—thy praise!”
- Psalms “Psalms 71:8 (Geneva1599) — Let my mouth be filled with thy praise, and with thy glory euery day.”
- Proverbs (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Proverbs 16:24: (Compare Pro 15:26). Gentle, kind words, by soothing the mind, give the body health.”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 71:8: Let my mouth be filled with thy praise,.... Or "thy praise shall fill my mouth" (x); which shows that his heart was affected with the goodness of God to him, and that he had a deep impression and sense of it upon him; for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks; and for the mouth to be filled with the praise of God, is to speak largely, publicly, and with great delight, in the praise of God, his divine perfections and benefits; and with thy honour all the day; the excellency of his nature, the glory of his majesty, the honour due unto him, on account of h”
- Ecclesiastes (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ecclesiastes 5:18: 5:18-20 The prescription for enjoying life is repeated: We should enjoy our food, drink, and work and appreciate them as gifts from God.”
- Ecclesiastes (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ecclesiastes 8:15: 8:15 The Teacher’s conclusion is familiar (2:24-25; 3:12-13, 22; 5:18-20; 6:9). In spite of tragedies and hard labor, we can enjoy life and be happy. • In Hebrew, the word translated having fun means finding enjoyment in our daily activities, not pursuing pleasure or entertainment for its own sake.”
- Proverbs (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Proverbs 31:29: The words are those of her husband, praising her. virtuously--(Compare Pro 31:10).”
- Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 3:13: But exhort one another daily,.... In order to prevent unbelief and apostasy. The phrase is sometimes rendered, "comfort one another", or, "yourselves together", as in Th1 5:11 which the saints may do, by discoursing together about divine things; by praying together; by instructing one another in the doctrines of the Gospel; by putting one another in mind of the covenant of grace, and its promises; and by observing the near approach of everlasting happiness with Christ. And though the business of exhortation greatly belongs to ministers of the word, yet it ought not t”
- Proverbs (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Proverbs 27:5: 27:5 A rebuke improves life by correcting harmful behavior (13:1; 14:6). Hidden, unexpressed love has no value.”
- Proverbs (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Proverbs 12:25: a good word--one of comfort.”