Worship becomes the people’s response to that incredible reality that the author of all the universes, creator of all time, fulfiller of all futures is actually present in our time to us. Leander Keck suggests that the integrity of worship centers on praise. (The Church Confident, Leander Keck, Abingdon, 1993) The vast majority of the psalms are psalms of praise.
Why does God want us to offer our praise? From a purely human point of view if someone insisted that we continually offer praise to them, we would think of them as a hopelessly insecure egomaniac. From a faith standpoint, God may insist on our praise for our own good rather than for what it does for God. God may be pleased with our praise but it is because of the benefit we derive from it rather than that our praise meets some need that God has.
Humans need to recognize, on a continuing basis, the transcendent reality of God to prevent them from distorting their own perception of reality. As humans, our biggest temptation is to want to believe that the universe has its center in us. In this we relive the story of the tower of Babel where praise of God ceased in people’s headlong effort to supplant God with their marvelous works.
Offering praise to God becomes a continual reminder that all life centers in God. The place of memory is also essential to the practice of praise. In the psalms the worshipers were repeatedly called upon to recall the great saving acts of God as a basis of their praise. This was more than an exercise in fond memory for the good old days. This was an act that provided courage for the future when the hand of God was less visible.
