Praise Him! Praise Him!
Praise Him! Praise Him!
Praise Him! praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
Sing, O Earth, His wonderful love proclaim!
Hail Him! hail Him! highest archangels in glory;
Strength and honor give to His holy name!
Like a shepherd Jesus will guard His children,
In His arms He carries them all day long:
Praise Him! praise Him! tell of His excellent greatness;
Praise Him! praise Him! ever in joyful song!
Praise Him! praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
For our sins He suffered, and bled and died;
He our Rock, our hope of eternal salvation,
Hail Him! hail Him! Jesus the Crucified.
Sound His praises! Jesus who bore our sorrows;
Love unbounded, wonderful, deep and strong:
Praise Him! praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
Heav’nly portals loud with hosannas ring!
Jesus, Savior, reigneth forever and ever;
Crown Him! crown Him! Prophet and Priest and King!
Christ is coming! over the world victorious,
Pow’r and glory unto the Lord belong:
MANY OF US remember when schoolteachers marked papers with grades of “good,” “very good,” and “excellent.” There was nothing wrong with a “good” paper, but the “excellent” one went beyond expectations. It excelled.
In this hymn, Fanny Crosby urges us to praise God for His “excellent” greatness. Consider who or what, besides God, is the greatest thing in your life? Your family? Your home? Your friends? Your softball team? These may be good, even very good, but God is greater. He excels above all other aspects of our lives. His greatness exceeds our ability to praise Him.
It’s hard to find a hymn richer in praise and joy. Jesus is hailed as Rock, Redeemer, Prophet, Priest, and King. But just when we begin to think He’s so “excellent” that He’s out of reach, we see Him as a Shepherd, carrying His little ones in His arms.
[The angels] sang in a mighty chorus: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered— to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.”
Revelation 5:12
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