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I was reading a Psalm recently. Psalm 81. I'm not the best at faithfully reading my bible, but this time God really pulled me deeply into it. Old testament, history, etc... things I'm not a very good student of. Add to that the Psalms, and you read a few, they start to feel like the same thing over....and over....and over... My attention focus impaired brain just doesn't usually follow either subject (history or the psalms) very well. This time, however, I followed all the extra notes and references and read the Psalm all the way through twice, then went back to each one and focused on each side note. God called me to examine it deeply. In it, I discovered God asked for two things (in this Psalm). First... to worship ONLY God, that there IS only one God. Second... that worship and praise is not optional. It's actually a statute or a command. It was for Israel, too. Continued reading reveals a bit about israel's history, it makes reference to the waters of Maribah where people were beginning to question God and to grumble and Moses and Aaron didn't obey completely either. It talks about how Israel DID not obey Him. Obey what? Well we know that God does ask some things of us, but in this passage, it seems like God is saying they didn't obey the two points above. They worshipped false God's and Idols, and they did not praise Him. It goes on to say that the results of obedience would have had a worldly impact (it specificially says then those who were against God would turn back cringing before God in my Amplified bible). It also said that Israel itself would have had all of it's needs provided for, comparing these provisions with honey flowing from rock and fine wheat. Instead, Israel spent years wandering in a desert and then MANY MORE years later on as slaves... all because mankind is disobedient of the most basic principles. Love ONLY God and prove it through your praises. So, when we praise, what can it affect? Whom can it affect? Sounds to me like Psalm 81 reveals that when we praise, we have national (even global) impact on those around us as well as provisions and blessings for ourselves. No wonder God commanded praise.