“And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: ʻBlessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!ʼ” Revelation 5:13

What Does He Hear?

Walk His Way Revisited

First Posted in March, 2014

Praise. Itʼs a word we use often in worship and in prayer. We read it throughout Scripture. We know what praise is: celebration; exulting in God; songs of admiration; boasting about our God with word or song; giving recognition of Godʼs glory.

In the Old Testament, the people shouted, blew horns and trumpets, danced in the streets, and played musical instruments to praise God. They spoke forth the psalms they had written, and sang the songs they composed. In the New Testament, we read mostly of speaking and singing forth the praises of God. Throughout the Bible, we see Godʼs people having joyful celebrations, festivals, and feast days to praise God. (God deserves a joyful people!)

In our local church culture, we sings song together, sometimes loudly and boldly, sometimes quietly and reverently; we may applaud Him, we may pray quietly. We occasionally shout out our praises; sometimes we laugh because our soul is delighted.

When our “sister” church, Cosmopolitan Baptist Church in Oakland, used to bring their choir to worship with us, we saw and heard something different. The singing was demonstrative, with harmonies invented on the spot; the choir swayed, arms and heads in motion.

There are as many ways to express praise to God as there are cultures and beings on our planet. Each nation, each people has their own way. Always, there is joy. We celebrate God.

What does our praise sound like to Godʼs ears? What might it sound like to hear all the people in every nation throughout the whole earth, with all their languages, words, clicks, humming, whispering, singing, shouting, speaking, groaning, chanting, and praying, all at one time? And add to that all the instruments being played: drums, cellos, guitars, horns, tambourines, violins, flutes, and all the rest that may be played in praise of God?

Then add to that the angel choirs who never cease to sing, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord.” And add to that all nature giving praise: stars singing, trees clapping, rocks crying out, mountains leaping, sun rejoicing. Add to that the sounds of animals that chirp,croak, bark, roar, meow, squawk, buzz, bellow, quack, cackle, crow, bleat, moo, squeal—for no discernible reason, except perhaps to give praise to their Maker?

And THEN, add all that up from the beginning of time until now, because God is outside of time and space, thus what happened “back then” is happening “now,” and He hears it all.

Join in with His creation, and give Him the praise He deserves. For if WE, His people, are silent, the very rocks will yet cry out!

Lord, we canʼt comprehend all that gives You praise. All Your works shall praise Your Name, and we are surely one of Your greatest works, being made in Your image. We praise You with our whole heart! Amen.