Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand. (Psalm 149:6, KJV)

Unusually, Israel’s military victory formula was praise and the sword (2 Chronicles 20:22). Hence, the psalmist urges us to let God’s high praises fill our mouths. But what are these high praises? And how does this verse apply to the modern Church?

“High praise,” a single word in the original Hebrew, refers to words that lift up, extol, or exalt. We lift Him up with our words when we declare things that show great honor and respect to Him—words of homage. The Old Testament frequently uses vivid symbolic language, and here, it creates an image of God being elevated in honor and respect by our words, as seen in Psalms 66:17 “he was extolled with my tongue” and Psalms 30:1 “I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up.”

However, there are two misconceptions about high praises to avoid. First, high praises do not equate to high volume or a louder form of praise. Although Scripture clearly teaches us that we can make a joyful noise unto the Lord or even shout to Him in praise, the idea of high praises in this verse does not signify the loudness of our voice. Second, high praise does not suggest there is low praise. The Hebrew term conveys a quality of praise as words that elevate God rather than a specific kind of praise.

The imagery in this verse is a powerful picture of spiritual warfare for the Christian. High praises create the atmosphere for wielding the sword of the Spirit, which is the spoken Word of God. That means as you praise, speak the Word, and before you prophesy, praise the Lord! Praise becomes the battle cry of spiritual warfare for the believer in Christ.

Let the high praises of God be in your mouth; lift Him up and exalt Him.

Meditate

Consider the meaning of “high praises” as explained above.

Apply the Word

Do you want God to show up suddenly in power? Let the high praises of God be in your mouth. Learn to praise Him with spoken words, singing, dancing, and joy. Let your mouth become an altar to offer the sacrifice of praise continually.

Prayer

Take a moment to exalt God by recounting His marvelous deeds.

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