The Big 3-Letter Word
“I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1
Sometimes little things in life mean the most – or at least mean lots more than we might expect considering their small size. My life has been full of sometimes seemingly relentless challenges, and this came to mind when I was feeling sad one day. A tiny three-letter word, I realized, held my answer – a word I had for years overlooked.
ALL. Yes, all. The psalmist David does NOT write about praising God when life is good, comfortable, feels secure, is comfortable, and appears to be going one’s way. He writes about blessing the Lord at ALL times. He speaks of praising Him CONTINUALLY. Praising God should not be contingent on our circumstances and based on how we feel. We should praise God consistently, continually. In plain English, ALL the time. Unconditional praise is what God desires AND deserves. No matter the details of our lives, He is God and is ALWAYS worthy of our praise.
I have been prone to praising God when I feel great while complaining, feeling sorry for myself, getting angry, or even demanding before God, when I don’t feel things are going well. This is sin, and must go. ALL the time means ALL the time. Note David writes “I WILL [caps added]bless…” He is DECIDING to bless the Lord no matter what. We need to DECIDE to bless the Lord at ALL times. There is an unexpected blessing in this decision. When I start praising the Lord, seeds of hope and joy start forming inside me. Even if my challenges remain, and though I still may not feel great, I am reminded to focus on the Lord in whom everlasting life, love, peace, joy, and hope are found. Make the decision to praise the Lord ALL the time!