Psalm 66:8–9 -“Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of His praise be heard; He has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping.”
Life is full of reasons. We wake up and move, we speak and respond, we invest and withdraw, we love and we learn, because something within us stirs us to do so. Every action has a motive. Every decision has a root. Nothing is ever just because.
So, when Scripture urges us to praise, it is not calling us to something empty or mechanical. Praise is not a ritual. It is not noise. It is not merely words spoken into the air. Real praise is born from recognition. It rises from awareness. It takes shape when our hearts slow down long enough to see what has always been true: God has been good to us.
THE FIRST REASON TO PRAISE: YOU ARE STILL HERE
The psalmist says we are to praise God because He has preserved our lives. That may sound simple, almost too familiar, but think for a moment. You are here. You are breathing. You have survived things many people never recovered from. You have walked through seasons you thought would crush you. You have endured nights so dark you wondered if morning would come at all.
Yet here you are.
There are stories behind your eyes that no one fully knows. There are battles you fought in silence. Some wounds healed slowly, layer by layer. You may not have realised it, but Heaven was holding you through all of it. God never stepped away. His Hand was not removed. Your survival is not a coincidence. Your existence is not an accident.
That is reason enough to lift your voice in praise.
THE SECOND REASON TO PRAISE: GOD HAS KEPT YOUR FOOT FROM SLIPPING
Life has a way of trying to pull us in directions we were never meant to go. Some of the dangers we can see. Many, we cannot. But the psalm reminds us that God has not allowed our feet to slip. Which means: He has been guiding you, even when you weren’t aware of it.
Think of the paths you could have chosen. Think of the decisions that could have destroyed you. Think of the invitations you declined that you later realised would have led to trouble. Think of the relationships that ended that you now see were never meant to carry you into your future.
That was God.
Guiding. Protecting. Redirecting. Guarding your steps in ways you did not always understand at the time.
Sometimes His protection came through peace. Other times it came through closed doors. Sometimes it came through a whisper. Other times, through the loud collapse of your own plans. Yet in all of it, He was steady.
Praise reminds us that we didn’t keep ourselves. We weren’t carried by our own wisdom or strength. God held us.
WHY PRAISE MATTERS
Praise is not just something we give to God. It transforms us.
When we praise:
Our hearts soften.
Our fears loosen their grip.
Our minds shift from worry to wonder.
Our spirit remembers it is never alone.
Praise aligns us with truth. It helps us see beyond what is temporary and hold onto what is eternal.
MAKE IT PERSONAL
What has God done for you? Where did He meet you? Where did He protect you? Where did He lift you when you were sinking?
You don’t need a stage, a microphone, or perfect words. You don’t need to feel strong, put together, or confident. You only need sincerity.
Praise Him in the whisper.
Praise Him in the ache.
Praise Him in the ordinary.
Praise Him because He deserves it.
God has been faithful.
And you have a reason to praise Him today.
PRAYER
Father, I thank You. Not just for what You have done, but for who You are. You have kept me, guided me, protected me, and carried me. Help me to live with a heart that remembers and responds in praise. In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
REFLECTION QUESTION
What is one personal reason you have to praise God today?
SIX KEY TAKEAWAY POINTS
Praise is not an empty act; it is a response to God’s goodness and presence in our lives.
Being alive today is evidence of God’s ongoing purpose and care for your life.
God has kept you through situations you didn’t even realise could have harmed you.
Praise is a reminder that your own strength never sustained you.
Praise shifts your perspective from worry to trust and from heaviness to hope.
You don’t need perfection to praise God; you only need a sincere and thankful heart.
