How to Praise God (Christianity)

Praising God through Prayer

Open a prayer of praise by addressing God. In the Bible, Jesus gives Christians a model prayer that you can use no matter what you’re praying about. His prayer begins by addressing God directly. Although God will know you’re talking to Him even if you don’t specifically say it, opening the prayer this way can help get you in the right mindset as you pray. For instance, you might start with, “Heavenly Father,” “Dear God,” or simply, “Lord.”

Honor God for His goodness and power. One of the simplest things you can praise God for is simply for the fact that He is good and that He is the ruler of the world. In Psalm 96:4, the Bible says, “For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.” This verse doesn’t mean that you have to be afraid of God—it means that He is greater than any other gods, or anything that men might worship as a god. In your prayer, you might say, “Lord, it is amazing that you are so powerful that you created the heavens and the earth, yet you still care about someone as small as me!”

Tell God the specific things He's done that you're thankful for. If you’re grateful for God’s blessings in your life, use your prayer of praise to let him know! Think about the things in your life that are meaningful, or thank Him for a turn of good fortune you had recently, like being promoted at work or making a new friend. For example, you could say, “I’m constantly amazed at the way You work in my life and the way I feel Your presence as I serve others. Thank you for the opportunities You have given me to make a living doing what I love!”

Praise God even if you're currently going through hard times. You don’t have to be surrounded by blessings to praise God. Even at your lowest times, you can still praise Him for giving you life, for instance, or for sending Jesus to die for your sins, then raising him from the dead. This type of praise can help remind you of God’s greatness, which can give you strength when you’re feeling low. You could say, for instance, “Lord, even though I’m in a season of loss, You continue to guide me. Thank you for giving me breath each day, and help me continue to look ahead to a brighter time.” 2 Chronicles 20:21 describes a time when the Israelites were facing certain death in a battle against a much larger army. However, as they marched, they kept praising God by saying, “Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever.” The story continues that God blessed them with victory because of their faith, and there’s no reason He can’t do the same when you’re facing struggles in your life.

Ask God to continue blessing your life. As you conclude your prayer, you might want to include a request to God that He will continue to show you His presence and love. This will show Him that you’re grateful for what you have, and that you attribute your blessings to Him. This could be as simple as saying, “Lord, continue to bless me each day according to Your wisdom.” When you’re finished, close the prayer by saying something like, “In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Finding Other Ways to Praise God

Lift your hands to God in praise during worship. Whether you’re attending a worship service or you’re worshiping God in the privacy of your own home, one way you can praise God is by lifting up your hands to Him. This act symbolizes that you’re reaching toward the Heavenly Father and lifting up your spirit toward Him. This act is described in the Bible in Psalm 134:1-2: “Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord who minister by night in the house of the Lord. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord.” Clapping your hands can be a form of praise, as well, especially during a worship song.

Praise God through songs that glorify Him. The Bible is full of examples of people using music to praise God. Psalm 40:3, for instance, says: “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.” This verse indicates that not only is music a beautiful way to praise God, but that He has actually gifted us with music for this reason. Even musical instruments can be used to praise God, as described in 2 Chronicles 5:13-14: “The trumpeters and singers join in unison, as with one voice, to praise and give thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang, 'He is good, his love endures forever.'”

Use art as a form of praise to make use of your God-given talents. If you don’t consider yourself a musical person, think about another gift God has given you. For instance, you may be a gifted writer, painter, or actor. Whatever talents you have, you can use those to praise God. For instance, if you enjoy art, you could paint a picture of your favorite scenic view. As you paint, meditate on the fact that God created a world full of such natural beauty. If you’re a writer, you could pen a poem that praises God. If God blessed you with the gift of acting, consider writing or participating in a dramatic skit that praises Him.

Read Scriptures that inspire you to praise God. If you need a little help getting into the right mindset to praise God, look through your Bible to find examples of His followers praising Him. As you read all the ways that they exalted God, you might feel moved to praise Him, as well! The book of Psalms is a great place to study praise. For instance, Psalm 34:1 says: “I will praise the Lord no matter what happens.”

Praise God by sharing His goodness with others. If you feel God’s presence in your life, you may feel called to tell other people about His love and the way He’s blessed you. Evangelism, or sharing your faith with others, can be a powerful form of praise, because it shows God that you appreciate Him so much that you can’t help but tell others about Him. Not everyone will be receptive to God’s message. That’s okay—don’t let that discourage you from being enthusiastic about your faith! You can connect with people of other religions because, as human beings, we have many things in common. Instead of focusing on the fact that the other person is not a Christian, find things you share. Consider whether you have similar hobbies or career goals.