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Psalm 66:1-7  
For the director of music. A song. A psalm.

Shout for joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious. Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you. All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing the praises of your name.” Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind! He turned the sea into dry land, they passed through the waters on foot—come, let us rejoice in him. He rules forever by his power, his eyes watch the nations—let not the rebellious rise up against him.

My prayers often lack praise. I get into the “give me” mode, “I need” mode, “I want” mode. Too often I run to the requests right after, “Heavenly Father.” But here the psalmist calls us from petitions to praise. This praise is not to be silent…it is to be shouted, sung, and proclaimed. We are to say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!”

If you are finding praise difficult, the psalmist invites you to the starting point—“Come and see what God has done.” How is God at work in your life? How is God blessing you? What is God teaching you? What door is God opening? Closing?

Praise is practical. We reflect on God’s work and thank Him for it. We take the time to see what He has done, and shout for joy. We review His blessings in our lives and sing the glory of His name. Praise is the heartfelt proclamation: God you are awesome!

Father, I praise You for Your work in my life (Tell God the great things He has been doing).

I praise You for the relationships in my life (Tell God how much you appreciate your spouse, children, grandchildren, family, friends).

I praise You for the challenges (Tell God all that you are going through).

I praise You for giving me all I need (Tell God how thankful you are for food and shelter).

I praise You for opening my eyes to Jesus (Tell God how thankful you are to personally know Him through Jesus).

I praise You in Jesus’ name. Amen.