Praise is your weapon!

 

Everybody needs a reminder about something or the other every now and then. We humans tend to forget, especially when the going gets tough. It’s said that when that happens then the tough get going but most times, all we do is wilt in the heat that challenging seasons emit.

But remember, followers of Christ have been given certain weapons and one very powerful weapon in our armory is one that David used constantly. That weapon is praise. Praise, used properly, is like dynamite and the Book of Psalms is filled with it and, nearing the end of the book, from psalms 145 to 150, the praise intensifies.

There are several groups of psalms referred to as Hallel, “to praise”, but considered the most significant group is the Egyptian Hallel, psalm 113 to psalm 118 because these six psalms were recited during the Passover and various other Jewish observances.

Great Hallel is a term that usually refers to Psalm 136; however, it can also be applied to psalms 120 through 136, which would include the psalm we are looking at today – Psalm 135, our weapon of choice.

Praise the Lord!

Praise his name, you servants of the Lord, who stand in the Lord's house, in the Temple of our God. Praise the Lord, because he is good; sing praises to his name, because he is kind. He chose Jacob for himself, the people of Israel for his own. I know that our Lord is great, greater than all the gods.

Lord, you will always be proclaimed as God; all generations will remember you. The Lord will defend his people; he will take pity on his servants. The gods of the nations are made of silver and gold; they are formed by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, and eyes, but cannot see. They have ears, but cannot hear; they are not even able to breathe. May all who made them and who trust in them become like the idols they have made!

(Psalm 135:1-5 & 13-18 GNT)

This psalm is adamant about praising God wherever, whenever and for whatsoever. It reminds us of who God is; that He is great, greater than all the gods. We habitually forget that truth and replace our great God with things and people and even the challenges we face.

We have a tendency to magnify and give especial prominence to all the stuff we have made into idols in our lives. Even the positions we hold, all the various titles –  doctor this and honourable that – are worthless in the proverbial big scheme of things.

Do not ignore the warnings about idols and false gods which get you nowhere; all they’re “good” for is to divert your path and distract you from what is required and necessary.

Praising God as a weapon is necessary and vital to combat all the various challenges of life. Don’t you know that praise affects the atmosphere? Praise creates movement, it causes situations to shift, makes mountains shrink into mole hills and removes barriers. Praise clears your path to the throne room of God and releases the blessings of heaven. The ancients understood the power of praise; that’s why David never stopped praising God (see Psalm 34:1).

Beloved, God has provided us with an arsenal of praise psalms and has graciously given us the keys to the weaponry storehouse so, you are free to use each one in every moment of your life. Praise is your weapon!

Praise God for constantly working all things together for your good.

Praise God for the many blessings, large and minute, that He gives you.

Praise God for the times of challenge, for you know that He can do all things, that nothing is impossible with God.

Praise God for keeping you from the distractions of the false gods of this world.

And just simply praise God at all times because He is good, because He is kind to you, because He chose you for His own.

Amen †

 

Shelley Johnson “Praise is your weapon!” © 2026 July 27, 2026