"Let my soul live that it may praise you. And let your ordinances help me." Psalm 119:175
In the prior verse, the psalmist expressed his desire for his salvation to be complete. That is, he was looking forward to the day he would be with the Lord for all eternity. In this verse, he emphasizes his desire and commitment to serve the Lord well while he is on the earth.
To live as a believer is to live a life of praise to God. And for what should we praise Him? The list is endless. He has made a way for us to be forgiven on our sins. He has demonstrated amazing love to us even while we were His enemies. He has sealed us with His Holy Spirit and gifted us to be able to serve Him. He gives to us the fruit of the Spirit. He guarantees a future inheritance for us. He has given us His Word. His Spirit gives us the ability to understand His Word. He is our great Comforter. His patience towards us is remarkable. And the list goes on and on...
How is it that we can learn to live a life of praise to God? It is by allowing the Word of God to have its influence in our lives. Do you want to be a Christian whose mind and heart is consistently full of praise to God? Then immerse yourself in the Word of God. Read it, study it, memorize it, and meditate on it. Let it permeate your mind and your heart. And as you love and treasure God's Word, so praise will flow from your mouth.
"Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! I will praise the Lord while I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being." Psalm 146:1-2
