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Praising God's Name in Scripture and Worship Practices

Praising God's name is a central theme in biblical worship and is frequently expressed through song and thanksgiving [1]. The Hebrew term "Hallelujah" or "Alleluia" directly translates to "praise the Lord" [2, 3]. This act of praise is not merely an emotional outburst but a recognition of God's character and attributes [8].

The concept of praising God's name is deeply embedded in the Old Testament. For instance, the Psalms repeatedly call for the praise of the Lord's name [11, 12, 15]. John Gill, in his commentary on Psalm 69:30, explains that "the 'name' of God is himself, his perfections and attributes," which are to be praised by all creatures, especially by saints [8]. He further notes that even the Messiah, Jesus Christ, praised God's name, both during his earthly ministry and in heaven [8]. Similarly, on Psalm 135:1, Gill clarifies that "praise ye the name of the Lord" means praising "the Lord himself, and the perfections of his nature; his greatness, goodness, grace, and mercy; his holiness, justice, power, truth, and faithfulness" [15]. The act of singing praises is described as pleasant, being the "employment of angels and glorified saints" [11].

The importance of God's name is also reflected in biblical personal names. For example, "Jahaleel" means "praising God" or "light of God," and "Mahaleleel" also signifies "praising God" [4, 5]. Other names like "Jehudijah" and "Hodaiah" mean "the praise of the Lord" [6, 7]. These names suggest a cultural understanding where the act of praising God was interwoven with identity and lineage.

The call to praise God is often linked to His inherent goodness and the blessings He bestows. Psalm 135:3 states, "Praise ye the Lord, for the Lord is good... sing praises unto his name, for it is pleasant" [11]. This goodness is understood both in a general providential sense, benefiting all humanity, and in a specific redemptive sense for His chosen people, providing "pardon, righteousness, and eternal life; both grace and glory" [11].

The practice of praising God's name is understood to be perpetual, extending "from this time forth and for evermore" [12]. This eternal praise began with the angels at creation and continues through all of God's works [12].

In contrast to the act of praising God, the Bible also addresses human sinfulness. All human beings are born with a sinful nature [9]. Sin is not merely an action but can be rooted in "vanity," encompassing "all sorts of sinful acts" [10]. Deliberate sins are often committed with an "insolent or arrogant attitude," representing a "great sin" of rebellion [14]. The first sin, as described in Genesis 3:13, involved a "love of self, dishonor to God, ingratitude to a benefactor, disobedience to the best of Masters—a preference of the creature to the Creator" [13]. This universal sinfulness means that neither Gentiles nor Jews can find favor with God through their own actions [16]. To deny one's sin is to "make him a liar" [17]. God's anger is a necessary, holy response to sin, not a spontaneous emotional outburst [16]. This understanding of human sinfulness underscores the significance of praising God, as it highlights His holiness and mercy in the face of human rebellion.

Sources

  1. Psalms “I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. -- Psalms 69:30”
  2. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Hallelujah — praise the Lord”
  3. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Alleluia — praise the Lord”
  4. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Jahaleel — praising God; light of God”
  5. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Mahaleleel — praising God”
  6. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Jehudijah — the praise of the Lord”
  7. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Hodaiah — the praise of the Lord”
  8. Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 69:30: I will praise the name of God with a song,.... The "name" of God is himself, his perfections and attributes; which are to be "praised" by all his creatures, and especially his saints; and here by the Messiah, who sung the praise of God with his disciples at the supper, a little before his death; and in the great congregation in heaven, upon his ascension thither, having finished the great work of man's redemption. For as it was no lessening of his glory, as Mediator, to pray to God when on earth, it is no diminution of it to praise him in our nature in heaven; see Ps”
  9. Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 58:3: 58:3 All human beings are born sinners (see 51:5); however, whereas the wicked indulge their sinful nature, the godly fight against it (Rom 7:19-23; Jas 4:1-10).”
  10. Proverbs (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Proverbs 30:8: vanity--all sorts of sinful acts (Job 11:11; Isa 5:18).”
  11. Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 135:3: Praise ye the Lord, for the Lord is good,.... Essentially and communicatively; he is good, and he does good, in a providential way, to all men; and in a way of special grace to his own people; for whom he has laid up and to whom he has promised good things, and on whom he bestows them; as pardon, righteousness, and eternal life; both grace and glory; and therefore they should praise him; sing praises unto his name, for it is pleasant; either the work of singing praise is pleasant, being the employment of angels and glorified saints; the subject matter of it delight”
  12. Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 113:2: Blessed be the name of the Lord,.... Some prefix the word "saying", as directing to the matter and manner of praising the Lord, and to express themselves thus; "let the name of the Lord be blessed"; honoured, glorified, spoken well of. From this time forth and for evermore; from the beginning of time, or as soon as time began, the Lord's name was to be praised, and was praised by the holy angels, who were present at laying the foundation of the earth, Job 38:4, and all the works of the Lord, in their way, have praised him ever since. Here it may respect the time of”
  13. Genesis (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Genesis 3:13: beguiled--cajoled by flattering lies. This sin of the first pair was heinous and aggravated--it was not simply eating an apple, but a love of self, dishonor to God, ingratitude to a benefactor, disobedience to the best of Masters--a preference of the creature to the Creator.”
  14. Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 19:13: 19:13 An individual who commits deliberate sins does so with an insolent (86:14) or arrogant (119:21, 69) attitude. • The great sin is rebellion (see 32:1).”
  15. Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 135:1: Praise ye the Lord,.... Or hallelujah; which may be considered as the title of the psalm; as in the Targum, Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Ethiopic, and Arabic versions: praise ye the name of the Lord; that is, the Lord himself, and the perfections of his nature; his greatness, goodness, grace, and mercy; his holiness, justice, power, truth, and faithfulness; and also his word, by which he makes known himself, and is a distinguishing blessing to his people, and to be praised for it; see Psa 48:1; praise him, O ye servants of the Lord; priests and Levites, and ministe”
  16. Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 1:18: 1:18–3:20 Paul delays exploring the theme of righteousness through faith (see 3:21) until after he first teaches about universal sinfulness. Gentiles (1:18-32) and Jews (2:1–3:8) are equally under sin’s power and cannot find favor with God by any action of their own (3:9-20). 1:18 God’s anger is not a spontaneous emotional outburst, but the holy God’s necessary response to sin. The Old Testament often depicts God’s anger (Exod 32:10-12; Num 11:1; Jer 21:3-7) and predicts a decisive outpouring of God’s wrath on human sin at the end of history. While Paul usually de”
  17. 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 1:10: Parallel to Jo1 1:8. we have not sinned--referring to the commission of actual sins, even after regeneration and conversion; whereas in Jo1 1:8, "we have no sin," refers to the present GUILT remaining (until cleansed) from the actual sins committed, and to the SIN of our corrupt old nature still adhering to us. The perfect "have . . . sinned" brings down the commission of sins to the present time, not merely sins committed before, but since, conversion. we make him a liar--a gradation; Jo1 1:6, "we lie"; Jo1 1:8, "we deceive ourselves"; worst of al”
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