I have often found the idea of praise confusing because of what it says about God. Has He told us that we must praise Him? Why would an all-powerful being need us to praise Him? The idea that we are commanded by God to praise the Lord seems more like the actions of arrogant and prideful men who want to be worshiped when they don’t deserve it. I don’t think this is the God that I worship. He doesn’t need praise. He knows that what He is doing is right.

On the other hand, I think that we should want to praise Him — it’s more like giving thanks and respect than being obedient. I am profoundly greatful for the blessings that God has given me, and the sacrifice that the Lord has made for me. And I sincerely hope that I continue to have the humility to admit this and act in that way.

So, for me praise is about thanksgiving and about my attitude toward God. It’s my recognition of what God has done for me, rather than anything He needs. And when the scriptures suggest to “let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord,” it is because every thing should be grateful for what He has done. So yes, let’s praise Him.

 

The Lord can comfort me in my suffering.

Comfort is perhaps the most literary of blessings—the comfort we get from the Lord often comes through His word, in addition to the feelings we get through the spirit. Comfort is realizing what the Lord has done for us, how his blessings uphold us despite our suffering.

And our response to this comfort is then praise. The 23rd psalm, for example, not only explains the blessings of the Lord, but also praises what He does for us. The following poem is an expansion of the psalm, adding verses that explain and extend its message of comfort and praise.

 

If I knew that life’s span were measured

And this were my last today,

Of all the sweet thoughts I have treasured

These are the ones I would say:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

When the thorns of affliction press heavy

And the pain is too great to express,

I can hear his sweet voice calling gently:

“Have patience—ere long you’ll find rest.”

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:

He leadeth me beside the still waters.

What joy to know he is near me

When struggling through life’s daily tread,

To know that he tenderly loves me,

That for me was his blood freely shed.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the

Paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

I have oft in my dreams of the future,

Not bounded by limited time,

Imagined myself in his presence

Partaking of glory divine.

Thou preparest a table before me in the

Presence of mine enemies: thou anointest

My head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Though perchance my burdens were heavy

And cares have o’ershadowed my way,

And sorrow and grief were my portion,

Thank God! he has taught me to say:

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow

Of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;

Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

I doubt not his justice and mercy,

His promise to me makes me whole;

The dawn of a brighter hereafter

Enlightens and raises my soul;

I trust in his mercy and goodness,

I know that salvation is sure,

If I follow wherever he beckons,

And chasten my soul to endure—

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all

The days of my life: and I will dwell in the house

Of the Lord for ever.

1924

 

Jesus Christ fulfilled prophecies from the Psalms.

While the psalms are certainly songs of praise, like much of scripture, and as often occurs in any literature, they do more than just that. When the psalms recognize and praise God for what He will do in the future, or for what He is doing, these statements are prophecies. Through the psalms we learn about God and our relationship to Him.

Writing for the change from the 19th to the 20th century (assuming that 1900 is the last year of the former), poet Lula Greene Richards here sees the import of these two centuries, seeing in the 19th the fulfillment of prophecies about Christ in the restoration of the gospel, and suggesting that perhaps the 20th century would see the darkness of error dispelled. While perhaps not completely precient for the 20th century, Lula nevertheless sees in both centuries how Christ has fulfilled prophecy.

 

The old year wanes. And lo! the century, too,

Gives place to its successor, bold and new.

Like some aged parent, dignified and grand,

Leading his youngest offspring by the hand,

The Nineteenth century its finale takes,

And—regal head bowed low—its exit makes.

How short the year; how long the century seems;

Reviewing, how replete with wondrous themes!

The grandest century since Christ was born

And slain, will close as opes the New Year’s morn.

While yet the Nineteenth century was young,

The vail was pierced which o’er this terra hung:

Celestial feet again the old earth trod,

And Joseph Smith conversed with Christ and God.

The heavenly light shown forth in darkness then;

Christ’s Gospel was again restored to men:

Alas! the darkness could not comprehend;

Men slew their kindest, truest, earthly friend.

Before the century reached meridian,

The direst massacre was foully done;

Joseph and Hyrum were the assassin’s mark,

Slain were the Prophet and Patriarch!

And still, the light, by Joseph turned, shines on,

And of the Twentieth century hails the dawn.

Much error has its radiant warmth o’erthrown;

Men feel the glow, by whom, the source unknown,

Is unacknowledged. But the time draws near

When all shall know whence comes the peace and cheer

Which will dispel all darkness; it may be

Ere men the Twentieth century’s finale see.

1901

 

God’s word will keep me on His path.

A central theme in any praise of God is his plan for helping us grow to be like Him. The words of scripture, like the psalms, help us discern the path we should follow to continue our growth. While we recognize this, we often perceive the paths we take as individual, something we do alone. However, that is not completely true—and is at least belied by our teaching of celestial marriage, in which we join our efforts to follow the Lord with those of another. While the delineation between individual and communal responsibility aren’t clear, our theology makes it clear that we don’t progress alone.

The following memorial poem looks at the progress of that path towards the resurrection day. In the poem, we progress together, “hand in hand” from “out this world of pain and sin” along the path to “the Savior’s land.”

 

1883

 

The Lord is more powerful than any idol.

Idols today have changed substantially from biblical times. Where then idols were physical objects worshiped then, today they are ideas or concepts that we use to replace God. Ideas do have power, of course, and today’s idols can affect and even change our lives. But God has more power than these idols — and the power of the atonement can help us overcome any idol, modern or biblical.

In this poem Thomas Ward, one of the early English converts and the mission president in England briefly, seeks God’s power to help in our lives. He asks that be allowed to dwell in the power and brightness of the Lord.

 

Then give us, oh ! Father! thy spirit of power,

To endure and o’ercome in the battles of God;

Let our faith be unshaken, nor fail in the hour

When the nations are feeling the scourge of thy rod.

Let our minds be awakened to look to the day

When the wicked are crushed, and the kingdoms are thine—

When thy Son shall his power and his glory display,

Let me dwell in his brightness—his glory be mine.

1844

 

The Lord knows my heart.

A significant element of God’s power lies in his knowledge of our hearts. Our desires and thoughts are known to Him at least as well as they are to us ourselves. And while we assume that the privacy of our thoughts and our desires is important, God’s knowledge of us is actually  a blessing, since it allows Him to help us become more like Him.

Poet Esther Bennion sees this. Recognizing the importance of knowing our own hearts, she observes that others here on earth cannot know our hearts. And she sees that God knows are hearts, approves of the pure desires of our hearts, and loves us regardless, in order to help us progress.

 

Though all the world proclaim me good and noble,

Though friend and foe alike should speak my fame,

Yet must I stand in sorrow hushed and humbled,

Unless my heart can speak to me the same.

 

Truly “its own bitterness each heart knoweth.”

Each knoweth best his own besetting sins,

Though by no outward sign its weakness showeth,

The heart will claim no praise but what it wine.

 

Though ‘mong my friends I bear an unstained record,

God knoweth if my heart is pure and true;

Before Him lies my life nor jot nor tittle,

Of sin nor weakness hidden from His view.

 

What though the world condemn me without merey,

And rumor’s forked tongue should pierce me through;

Yet if my heart approve it cannot hurt me,

The earth is just as green, the sky as blue.

 

Though some may misconstrue my words and motives;

May scan my actions with a critic’s eye,

Yet if I only aim for truth and justice,

My Father’s tender love will bear me by.

 

O precious boon! O gift of highest heaven!

The inner consciousness of pure desire,

No earthly honor nor no worldly censure,

Can dim thy lustre or quench thy fire.

1893

 

“Praise ye the Lord.”

All of this adds up to some of the blessings of the Lord that should lead to our praise of Him. As a result, our literature is full of praise for the Lord and for what He has done for us. The Psalms are part of this literature. And the poetry I’ve posted here over the years is another large part. Our hymns are included in this—they are mostly praise for the Lord. I don’t think the Lord is seeking our praise, but we should be giving it because of what He has done for us.

The following poem is just one of many poems and hymns of praise. I chose this one because it is not as familiar as many others and is from a lesser-known LDS poet. It also puts this praise in the context of the plan of salvation and the covenants we make.

 

I’ll praise the Lord while I have breath,

And hope to praise him after death;

When resurrected I1shall be,

My Lord and Savior I shall see.

I’ll praise the Lord with all my heart,

And from his laws no more depart;

No more iniquity I’ll do,

My way to heaven I will pursue.

From sin and guile I will refrain;

My garments I no more will stain,

And keep them spotless, clean and white,

That I may dwell with saints in light.

His law shall be my sole delight,

For that will keep my garments bright;

No more I shall forget my Lord,

No more transgress his holy word.

In purity henceforth I walk,

And wickedly no more I’ll talk;

I’ll live in peace and holiness,

To heaven henceforth my way I’ll press

O! how I love to serve the Lord,

How great I do revere his word,

My meditation day and night,

To do his will with pure delight.

His servants I shall ever love,

Their teachings cometh from above,

They create in me a pure heart,

That I should ne’er from him depart.

This covenant I made to night,

I’ve written down with candle light,

And in the bible it doth stand,

It’s written there by my own hand.

The last night of fifty three,

‘Tis past and gone, and here we be,

Ready to welcome a new year,

In which we’ll serve our Savior dear.

1853