Hi Brian!

The word for this week is one we have used before, but there are so many words translated into this one word: PRAISE! We'll look at Psalm 149 and 150 first of all!

Ps 149

1 Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.

2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.

3 Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.

4 For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.

5 Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.

6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;

7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;

8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;

9 To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the Lord.

150 

1 Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.

2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.

3 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.

4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.

5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.

6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.

The very first "praise" in Psalm 149:1  is the Hebrew word "Halal, where we get HALLELUJAH from. It means: to be clear, to shine, to make a show, to boast, to be clamorously foolish, to rave, to celebrate, also to to 'stultify' (cause (someone) to appear foolish or absurd.) In fact, Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon says: to shine, to flash forth light, to boast or be boastful, to make a fool of, to act like a madman! The next "praise" in that verse is the Hebrew word "tehillah". Strong's Concordance says: laduation. Brown-Driver-Briggs says: adoration, thanksgiving. Vine's Expository Dictionary says: glory, praise, song of praise. Some of the verses speak of praising HIM with dancing! Some speak of SHOUTING. Some speak of using instruments, ALL kinds of instruments! The common factor in all of these instructions is that this is ALL to be directed at OUR LORD JESUS! I am really loving all of the new songs coming out lately that are FEARLESS in their praise and worship, POWERFUL with their voices and instruments, WORD of GOD based and FREE! I LOVE THIS SO MUCH! Here is Brandon Lake with another new song called "Praise You Anywhere":

Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!