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September 30
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It
is not left to our own option whether we shall praise God or not. Praise
is God's most righteous due, and every Christian, as the recipient of
His grace, is bound to praise God from day to day. It is true we have
no authoritative rubric for daily praise; we have no commandment prescribing
certain hours of song and thanksgiving: but the law written upon the
heart teaches us that it is right to praise God; and the unwritten mandate
comes to us with as much force as if it had been recorded on the tables
of stone, or handed to us from the top of thundering Sinai. Yes, it
is the Christian's duty to praise God. It is not only a pleasurable
exercise, but it is the absolute obligation of his life. Think not ye
who are always mourning, that ye are guiltless in this respect, or imagine
that ye can discharge your duty to your God without songs of praise.
You are bound by the bonds of His love to bless His name so long as
you live, and His praise should continually be in your mouth, for you
are blessed, in order that you may bless Him; "this people have
I formed for myself, they shall show forth my praise"; and if you
do not praise God, you are not bringing forth the fruit which He, as
the Divine Husbandman, has a right to expect at your hands. Let not
your harp then hang upon the willows, but take it down, and strive,
with a grateful heart, to bring forth its loudest music. Arise and chant
His praise. With every morning's dawn, lift up your notes of thanksgiving,
and let every setting sun be followed with your song. Girdle the earth
with your praises; surround it with an atmosphere of melody, and God
Himself will hearken from heaven and accept your music. "E'en so I love Thee, and will love, And in Thy praise will sing, Because Thou art my loving God, And my redeeming King." September
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