Praise And Prayer

Praise. There are two ways in which respect is paid to a man, viz. (1)

Outspoken praise, (2) Deference to his words. In like manner we praise

God (1) by dwelling with joy and gladness on His perfections; and (2)

by listening with reverence to His Word.



Prayer, on the other hand, is that kind of worship which acknowledges

God as the Source of all our help. Our needs are necessarily in our

minds when we ray. We think of them in order to ask Him to help us;

and we think of them again when we thank Him for the help which we have

already had.



Thanksgiving might be coupled with Praise because its aim is to glorify

God: but as its motive is the thought of human wants which have been

already supplied, Thanksgiving is placed with the Prayers, which also

relate to human wants.





We must therefore expect to find in Worship;



I. Praise. (1) Declaration of God's excellence.

(2) Attention to His Word.



II. Prayer (3) Petitions for grace and help.

(4) Thanksgivings for grace and help.