1. Praise ye the Lord, or, “Hallelujah!” All ye his saints unite
in adoring Jehovah, who worketh so gloriously. Do it now, do it always: do it
heartily, do it unanimously, do it eternally. Even if others refuse, take care
that you have always a song for your God. Put away all doubt, question, grumbling,
and rebellion, and give yourselves up to the praising of Jehovah, both with
your lips and in your lives. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart. The sweet singer commences the
song, for his heart is all on flame: whether others will follow him or not, he
will at once begin and long continue. What we preach we should practice. The
best way to enforce an exhortation is to set an example; but we must let that
example be of the best kind, or we may lead others to do the work in a limping
manner. David brought nothing less than his whole heart to the duty; all his
love went out towards God, and all his zeal, his skill, and his ardor went with
it. Jehovah the one and undivided God cannot be acceptably praised with a
divided heart, neither should we attempt so to dishonor him; for our whole
heart is little enough for his glory, and there can be no reason why it should
not all be lifted up in his praise. All his works are praiseworthy, and
therefore all our nature should adore him. In the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation—whether with few or with many he would pour forth
his whole heart and soul in praise, and whether the company was made up of
select spirits or of the general mass of the people he would continue in the
same exercise. For the choicest society there can be no better engagement than
praise, and for the general assembly nothing can be more fitting. For the
church and for the congregation, for the family or the community, for the
private chamber of pious friendship, or the great hall of popular meeting, the
praise of the Lord is suitable; and at the very least the true heart should
sing hallelujah in any and every place.
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