First, let’s note that there is a distinction between praise and worship. Worship implies a relationship, while praise does not involve the notion of a relationship. David blesses his soul, describes his works, and speaks of attributes. Praise is about elevating the capacities revealed by actions. Praising God is expressing admiration and appreciation.

Praise is conditioned by works. In other words, it is because God has done something that He is worthy of praise. In worship, it is because God is that He is worthy. By nature, humans do not know how to praise others. One who cannot praise others will struggle to do so towards their Creator. When we talk about someone who has accomplished a work that many appreciate, and in which excellence or well-done work can be admired, we conclude by giving praise.

This is why, before leading us in praise, God takes the first five days to create works that will allow humans, upon appreciation, to praise Him because they will have seen with their own eyes what He represents. God’s reasons precede humanity. So we cannot say that we have not praised God today because He has done nothing, for it is based on what He has already done that He deserves praise.

However, God wants to ensure that self-praise is not necessarily conditioned by past actions. That’s why every morning, His work of grace, which grants us the breath of life, gives us a new reason to praise Him. Regarding His kindness, it is written:

“They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness!” Lamentations of Jeremiah 3:23

Even stronger, David tells us that each day has a testimony to tell the next day, so much so that God’s kindness has left all of humanity with the understanding that they deserve our praise.

“Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.” Psalms 19:3

Monday will tell Tuesday, “Do you know what I experienced?” and Tuesday will reply, “You don’t know what I bring to impress Wednesday,” who, being patient, smiles because he knows he brings something even greater to impress the preceding days, one after another.

Beyond that, God is also worthy of praise because of the promises He gives us, for the spoken word of God is effective. If God has said it, God has begun to do it, so He is worthy of our prophetic praises because we know He fulfills what He says.

“So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11

The word that comes out of God’s mouth has in itself the accomplishment in all its perfection. That’s why even during creation, God does not define the form of the earth, but the word coming out of His mouth knows exactly what form to give because in it resides the perfect fulfillment of the form God wanted in His plan.

“By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” Hebrews 11:3

The invisible can create the visible. The spiritual is an extension of the physical. God does not speak of hearing because we have ears. We have ears because we have the ability to hear and listen. These are abilities that God has given for physical manifestations as a reality of His perception. The laws that come from the physical come from the invisible. God has given us something powerful, the ability to name. What we are, we already are. And you will be it the day you perceive it.

This is to explain the kind of God we deserve. He lives in a permanent present. He is omniscient and knows everything. He does not gather data, but He knows everything. There is no dictionary to praise Him. When someone loves a person, their works manifest, we contemplate Him, and we are attentive.

To discover the being, we first discover His works. We even praise the God of Abraham in relation to His reputation. In other words, through the story of Abraham, He tells us, “I made this man to know what kind of God I am.” God built a reputation so that we don’t have to ask Him questions. Through His grand works mentioned in the Bible and through the works of His creation, man begins to approach Him to praise Him.

This text is an excerpt from the book “MATONDO: Living through Thanksgiving“, written by Authors Arlette Manegabe, Athom’s Mbuma, David Kajisu, Fifi Bilolo Tunasi, Grâce Tshiashala, Michael Tettey, Pasteur Lévi Kongolo Kazadi, Sissi Bogoli, Tracien Boma.