What is the importance of praising God?

from the old testament

• The Old Testament repeatedly emphasizes praising God as central to a faithful life through song, sacrifice, and public declaration of His deeds.
• The book of Psalms, the largest book in the Bible with 150 individual psalms, is full of praise to God. In fact, Psalm 150, the last psalm in the book, concludes with the injunction, "Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!" (Psalm 150:6) Psalm 92 begins with the statement, "It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High." It is good to praise God because that is the right response for who He is and what He has done.
• Praise acknowledges God’s sovereignty, goodness, and mighty acts, reinforcing covenant faithfulness. The Song of Moses after crossing the Red Sea is just one example (Exodus 15:1–21). It also strengthens the community and reminds God’s people of His provision and salvation.

from the new testament

• The New Testament continues the theme of praise as essential for believers. Jesus and the apostles modeled and encouraged worship through thanksgiving, hymns, and communal praise (Matthew 21:16; Hebrews 13:15; Ephesians 5:18–20).
• Praise expresses joy in salvation, glorifies God, and strengthens faith, while also providing unity among believers (Colossians 3:16).
• Paul teaches that giving thanks in all circumstances is an act of obedience and trust in God (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18). Giving thanks is a form of praise.
• An example of the importance of us praising God is Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem before His crucifixion and resurrection (Luke 19:28–44). When the crowds of people were praising Jesus, some of the religious leaders in the crowd asked Jesus to rebuke His disciples because of their praise (Luke 19:39). Jesus' response in Luke 19:40 was, "I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out." Praising God is so important that if people don't praise Him, creation would praise Him.
• One day, everyone will recognize God for who He is. Philippians 2:10 says that at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow. This is not restricted to those who love Him—it says everyone will bow. Not everyone will praise Him out of worship and reverence, but they will finally recognize the truth of who He is.

implications for today

If we want reasons to praise God, we don't have far to look. First, God sent His Son, Jesus, to pay for our sins so that we could enjoy being in the presence of God forever. We cannot pay for our sins ourselves, so God paid for them. In addition to Jesus' sacrifice for us, we can look at the many attributes of God. God is all-powerful (Matthew 19:26), all-knowing (1 John 3:20), greater than anyone else (Colossians 1:18), love itself (1 John 4:8), merciful (Psalm 86:15), faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9), wiser than any other (Romans 16:27), and even more. Looking at the attributes of God makes it plain that He deserves our praise.

We can also praise God for what He has done. Throughout the pages of Scripture, we see how God has interacted with humanity: rescuing Israel from Egypt (Exodus 14), sustaining His people in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 8:2–4), giving victory when none seemed possible (Judges 7), and showing compassion again and again despite human failure (Psalm 103:8–12). Jesus healed the sick, calmed storms, forgave sinners, and ultimately died and rose from the dead to give us eternal life (Matthew 11:4–5; Romans 4:25). These acts are reminders that God is faithful, powerful, and actively involved with His people. When we remember how God has worked in the past, we gain confidence that He is still working in our lives today: providing, guiding, strengthening, and redeeming. Looking at God’s works in Scripture and in our own lives gives us endless reasons to lift our voices in praise.

We can make a daily habit of praising Him by intentionally reflecting on all that He has done for us. Doing this trains our hearts to see God’s hand in both the extraordinary and the ordinary moments of life. As we pause to remember His past faithfulness, we become more aware of His present grace—how He provides for our needs, comforts us in hardship, and shapes us through His Word and Spirit. This posture of praise leads us to thanksgiving and praise, strengthens our trust in Him, and deepens our joy. It helps keep our focus on the God who has never failed His people and puts the rest of our lives in their proper place. When we continually recall who God is and what He has done, praise becomes not just an occasional response, but a steady rhythm that fills our days with gratitude and worship.